The Crime Prevention Website

Share:

All businesses should do their best to create a crime free environment for their staff and so it is reasonable to expect an employer to provide a sensible level of security for the variety of vehicles that will be parked on their premises.  However, if you are going to the expense of providing a decent level of secure parking, then it is also incumbent upon the staff to use it appropriately and follow the rules. It must work both ways!

Below are some suggestions as to how you might proceed with a security upgrade for your car park

Vehicle and Pedestrian Entrances

  • The vehicle and pedestrian entrances to the site and its car park(s) should be clearly signposted. 
  • In order to manage and maintain a secure perimeter it is usually best to combine the vehicle and pedestrian entrances. Health and safety needs may require separation of the two by metal barriers or fences and in a secure perimeter there may be the need for separate access controlled and perhaps automatic pedestrian and vehicle gates.
  • The routes to the car park and the delivery and pick-up points should be clearly signposted from the site entrance and benefit from informal surveillance from the reception and other occupied offices and possibly from formal surveillance by CCTV or guard.

Car Parks

  • Wherever possible, staff and visitor parking spaces should be identifiable and located in view of the buildings.
  • Space set aside for the attendance and manoeuvring of emergency vehicles should be kept free of any obstruction and signposted as such.
  • In high crime areas it may be prudent to provide an additional fenced off area with its own automatic access controlled gates.
  • Spaces should be clearly marked and designated if necessary (visitors only, firm’s vehicles only etc). It may be useful to number the spaces if the car park is very large.
  • Although landscaping is to be encouraged (see previous chapter) do ensure that shrubs, especially those that might adversely affect surveillance, are kept under control
  • If your business has a very large car park (100 or more spaces), a multi-storey car park or an underground car park you may wish to consider an application for the police service’s ParkMark award for safer car parks.  ParkMark, which is managed by the British Parking Association, provides guidance to owners and operators of parking facilities on how to establish and maintain a safe and secure environment through the introduction of proven management processes, physical measures and site security systems, having considered the crime risk in the immediate vicinity.  ParkMark also raises awareness with staff and visitors when parking their car, bicycle, or motorcycle that the owner or operator has considered, and where appropriate, has taken action to reduce crime and the fear of crime.  Further information about how to apply can be found at www.parkmark.co.uk
  • Underground and multi-storey car parks should have access controlled entrances to prevent unauthorised access. It may also be necessary to add access controls to internal doors that give access to the main building. Use doors, gates and shutters that are certificated to an appropriate security standard taking care to ensure that means of escape and fire safety are accounted for.  The facility should be well lit, preferably to the levels recommended by BS 5489 and to that end the walls and ceilings should have a light finish to make the most of the light. It may be appropriate to monitor a larger car park with CCTV.

Two-wheeled motor vehicles

  • Secure motorcycle, moped and scooter parking should be made available for staff and visitors and where possible should be located close to and in view of occupied offices. 
  • Each space should be provided with secure ground anchors (Sold Secure’s Silver Standard is recommended) and be well lit when in use. The provision of secure lockers for helmets and clothing would be well received by staff and visitors and would help reduce the opportunity for theft.

Bicycles

  • Secure bicycle parking should be provided for staff and visitors and where possible be located close to and in view of occupied offices.  Stands, which allow the bicycle to be secured by both wheel and frame should be provided and the area should be well lit when in use. 
  • If you wish to encourage cycling you might want to consider providing a secured, lit and roofed building to contain the stands. It is recommended that the walls of such buildings are transparent and constructed from materials such as powder coated or galvanised welded mesh or security rated glass or hard-surface polycarbonate.
  • If bicycles are stored within the main building then it would be wise to grille any windows and increase the security of the access door.  The security of the door will be dependent upon where it is relative to the location of the staff.  If the cycle store is remote then you might want to replace the existing door with one that is certificated to a security standard, such as PAS 24:2012 or LPS 1175. Ensure that the locks are operated on the inside by thumbturn to prevent someone from being locked inside.  Due to the handling of the bicycle it would be useful to have timed lighting controlled by PIR switch.
  • Further information about bicycle security can be found on this website

Click to go to External Lighting

Updated April 2015