Unparalleled parking in Babergh and Mid Suffolk

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have earned 19 Park Mark and Park Access awards for their work improving safety and accessibility in their car parks.

Park Mark is part of the Safer Parking Scheme (SPS), a Police Crime Prevention Initiative that has been successfully reducing crime in car parks for two decades.

Managed by the BPA on behalf of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, the SPS requires each car park to undergo a rigorous assessment by specially trained police assessors.

Assessments include management and maintenance of the facility, taking into consideration:

• surveillance
• lighting
• signage
• and cleanliness

Car parks accredited under the scheme are awarded the Park Mark certification, indicating they meet the highest standards of safety and security.

Car parks with this award see an 80% reduction in crime.

Park Access is an accreditation that aims to become recognised throughout the whole of the UK for accessible and inclusive parking and electric vehicle charging facilities.

It enables everyone, regardless of their accessibility needs, to identify car parks and facilities, such as EV charge points, that they can use with ease.

The accreditation is issued to parking facilities that pass a rigorous risk assessment conducted by the British Parking Association.

This award recognises that the parking and driver facilities in place are accessible to all drivers regardless of their mobility needs.

It brings together the very best of two accreditations – the Disabled Parking Accreditation and People’s Parking Award – to become the UK's industry benchmark for accessible and inclusive parking and electric vehicle charging facilities.