News, May 2007

The Junction’s retail park is the safest car park in Slough

Car crime in Slough is on the decline thanks to the Safer Car Park Award scheme, an initiative formed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPOs) aimed at reducing crime and the fear of crime in parking areas. The Junction's Slough Retail Park is the first retail park in Slough to achieve this nationally recognised award that aims to reduce crime on car parks by helping to create an environment where customers feel safe, so encouraging their repeat custom. The Park Mark Safer Parking award is awarded by the British Car Parking Association (BPA), who has granted Slough Retail Park the award, for meeting the strict requirements of a risk assessment, conducted by the Police. The Junction, working with their on site car park management consultant AEJ Management Limited, put measures in place to proactively deter criminal activity and anti social behaviour at Slough Retail Park. In demonstrating that these initiatives can prevent crime and reduce the fear of crime in their parking area, The Junction was granted the Park Mark. Slough Retail Park is the third Junction retail park to achieve the high standards required for a Park Mark, with Imperial Park, Bristol and Blackpole Retail Park, Worcester being awarded the Park Mark last year. Jo Francis, Property Manager at The Junction comments: "We are delighted to receive this award, which recognises our commitment to creating a clean and safe environment on our retail parks. This is the first retail park in Slough to be granted this award, which benchmarks our parking facility and demonstrates our commitment to creating a high quality family-friendly car park environment. We have seen many improvements and upgrades for retailers and shoppers, from better CCTV systems, in place to stricter management of the disabled parking bays." Dave Stubbs, Crime Prevention Design Advisor at Thames Valley Police, Berkshire comments: "To gain the award the car park operator must put in place measures that help to deter criminal activity and anti-social behaviour in their parking area. It is the support of local businesses and operators, like The Junction that makes the scheme worthwhile and helps to build safer communities."