Nine of Yeovil’s busiest car parks re-awarded the ‘Park Mark’ safer parking award.

The accreditations were confirmed after independent checks carried out by Police Crime Prevention Officers gave the car parks an official seal of approval for another three years.

To gain the award, which is run by the British Parking Association, car parks must meet criteria in surveillance, safety, lighting, signage and cleanliness, and be properly managed and maintained.

Mike Johns, Engineer Technician at South Somerset District Council says, “Residents who use ‘Park Mark’ accredited car parks can be confident that measures are in place to deter criminal activity and create a safer environment for both them and the vehicle. All of the criteria contribute to reducing the opportunity for crime in the car parks.”

The scheme is intended to show customers a commitment to reducing both criminal activity and the fear of crime in car parks.

District council-run car parks at Peter Street, Court Ash, North Lane, South Street, Petters Way, Stars Lane, Fairfield, Huish and Goldcroft in the town all met the required standards when they were reassessed.

Cllr Tony Fife, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and district council Chairman of Area South says, “It is very positive news that these car parks are consistently meeting the high standards expected by both the public and by the police and British Parking Association and we will continue to progress with our work to make South Somerset an even safer place to live and work.”

Sergeant Mark Hunt, Neighbourhood Sergeant at Yeovil, added, “Ensuring that local residents and visitors to Yeovil can feel safe and be safe when coming into the town is essential for local police and South Somerset District Council. It’s really great news to have so many car parks constantly maintaining such a high standard when is comes to personal safety and crime reduction.”

The work of the Safer Stonger Community team has maintained crime levels at a level of virtually nil in the car parks.