A parking scheme which helps customers locate a car park which meets their specific requirements has been launched by disability rights campaigner Helen Dolphin MBE.
The scheme called People’s Parking seeks to recognise how car parks cater for the needs of a variety of different users and a car park finder on the website enables people to search for all the facilities they need before leaving the house.
Car parks applying for the People’s Parking accreditation will need to prove they are: well managed; have good signage; are clean and bright; offer good pedestrian access; and that parking rules are enforced including Blue Badge bays.
Depending on the facilities offered, car parks can also gain additional accreditations if they are: accessible for disabled people; family friendly; have no height restrictions; provide cycle parking or feature charging points for electric vehicles.
There are also accreditations for car parks that are convenient for commuters, close to shops, good for airport passengers and where parking can be pre-booked or paid for by phone. People searching for a specific type of car park can put in as many special requirements as they need. For example, a disabled person with an electric vehicle who needs a car park with no height restriction can find a car park which meets all these requirements.
Major parking operators such as NCP, Q-Park and Excel have already got car parks in the scheme.
Helen lost all four of her limbs to meningococcal septicaemia on Christmas Day 1997 but this has not held her back. She has worked in television, holds several British swimming records and last year received an MBE in recognition for her services to disabled people. Making life better for disabled people is where the idea for People’s Parking came from but Helen soon realized it was not only disabled people who would benefit from the scheme;
“As a disabled person I have often struggled to get in and out of car parks. This is because I find it incredibly difficult to take tickets out of machines and put coins in slots. However, by making a few simple changes many car parks can make themselves accessible to disabled people. But needing to find a car park that meets your specific requirements is not just something that just affects disabled people. There are growing numbers of electric vehicles on the roads and people need to find a car park where they can charge them. Parents with children can also find it difficult to get them in and out of vehicles in standard sized bays, and people driving high-sided vehicles have very little parking opportunities off-street. I therefore came up with People’s Parking to enable people to find a car park that suits their specific needs.”
The launch of People’s Parking offers parking operators an inclusive assessment scheme where they can promote the facilities they have on offer. For the public it means a simple way to find a car park which meets your requirements before you arrive at your destination.
For more information about People’s Parking, and to get 10% off parking with Q-Park please visit www.peoplesparking.org.
For further information please contact:
Helen Dolphin
Direct Line: 07941253947
Email: Helen@peoplesparking.org
