A new hospital’s car park has gained a security award.
The car park for patients and visitors at Pontefract Hospital, Friarwood Lane, has achieved ParkMark accreditation awarded by West Yorkshire Police and the British Parking Association.
The awards are renewed annually and car parks are assessed on their general safety, including the CCTV, general appearance and recent crime figures for those car parks.
Police have been involved in the design of the car park since 2007, working with Balfour Beatty and NHS. The scheme includes crime prevention features such as lighting, CCTV, boundary treatments and other safety design features.
PC Alfie Hosker, Wakefield District Police Architectural Liaison Officer, said: “This is a fantastic example of partnership working between the Police, NHS, planners and the private Sector to produce schemes where the opportunity to commit crime have been reduced."
Myles McQuade, Director of the Hospitals Development Project, Estates and Non-Clinical Services, said: “We know how important hospital car parking is to our patients and visitors and we try to provide the best possible service that we can.
“It’s nice to be recognised for the work we do and the award recognises some of the areas which are important to our patients such as ensuring our car parks are safe and secure. We are not complacent where car parking is concerned and will continue to review our car parking arrangements across all our hospitals to provide the best possible service for our patients, visitors and staff.”
Phil Taylor, North East Manager of the British Parking Association, said: "The Safer Parking Award, which I manage on behalf of the Police, sets very high standards in nine different areas of a parking facility. These standards are such that they either reduce crime or maintain a crime free and non threatening environment.”
"This is highly important in a facility such as this. I am pleased to say that the designers and construction staff who developed this facility on behalf of the customers using it have incorporated every piece of Police advice. The Pontefract Hospital parking facilities are second to none, and customer using it should find their car parking experience an enjoyable one."
