British Parking Awards 2012

The British Parking Awards 2012 is now open to entries. The annual competition is organised by Parking Review and sponsored by debt recovery specialist Equita. This is the eleventh year that the awards have taken place. They are recognised as the most prestigious accolades in the UK parking sector, and the gala awards lunch held every spring is the premiere social event in the parking calendar.

The categories

  • Best New Car Park
  • Best Car Park Refurbishment
  • Innovation Award
  • Enforcement Award
  • Parking and the Environment Award
  • Exceptional Customer Service Award
  • Parking in the Community Award
  • Young Parking Professional Award
  • Parking Person of the Year
  • Parking Team of the Year
  • Parking Partnerships Award
  • Parking Online Award

The Equita Overall Award Winner

The overall award winner is selected from the best of the category winners. The award winners will be announced at the InterContinental on London’s Park Lane on Friday 9 March.

How to Enter

  • Entry is free. Please read the instructions and decide which awards you are going to enter by considering the detailed award criteria
  • Download and complete the entry form ( If you are submitting your entry for multiple categories please fill in a separate entry form for each additional category.
  • Assemble photographs and any additional material.
  • Entries should be concise and written elements should be on A4 paper. Please provide at least one unbound copy of your entry.
  • Deadline: Friday 9 December
  • Send your completed entry form and entry material to:

British Parking Awards 2012

Parking Review

Apollo House, 359 Kennington Lane

London SE11 5QY

Further information

To discuss the categories, criteria and submitting your entry call:

Mark Moran

Managing editor, Parking Review

0845 270 7871


Best New Car Park

Entry Criteria

This award is open to local authority and private car park operators, architects, developers and construction companies who have delivered an outstanding parking facility. Car parks entered may be multi-storey, underground, surface, park & ride or part of mixed developments. If merited, separate awards for multi-storey and surface car parks may be awarded.

To qualify, the new facility must have been completed after 1 July 2010.

The criteria

The judges will be looking in particular for car parks whose design and construction:

• Meet the specific needs of the destination served.

• Makes use of high quality materials and finish.

• Show a degree of co-operation between the developer, designers and planning authority.

• Features a sensitive, sympathetic and aesthetic treatment of exterior.

• Provides high quality, well-lit interiors.

• Have well planned vehicle circulation paths.

• Feature excellent signing of vehicle and pedestrian paths.

• Act as gateways to destinations.

• Arrangements for infrastructure maintenance (such as Life Care Plans).

Where appropriate the following areas should be addressed and supporting material provided:

  • Number of spaces, levels, etc.
  • Construction processes – type of frame, building materials used, etc
  • Nature of vehicle circulation paths.
  • Budget (overall and per space).
  • Funding package/source
  • Payment systems and enforcement regime (if appropriate)
  • Facilities for all categories of user – disabled, motorcyclists, pedestrian.
  • Facilities and working conditions for staff.
  • Security systems – lighting, CCTV, help-points, etc.
  • Environmental considerations during construction and when operational.
  • Signage arrangements, both internally and externally for guiding drivers and pedestrians.
  • Safer Parking status.
  • Other awards the car park has won.
  • Have revenue/usage expectations been met or exceeded?

Please supply:

  1. Images of car park exterior and interior.
  2. Floor plan.
  3. Details/diagram of traffic flow and site access/egress.
  4. Details/images of site signage.
  5. Evidence of Park Mark and any other awards.
  6. Customer and client feedback.
    Best Car Park Refurbishment Award

Entry Criteria

This category is open to local authorities, private operators and key contractors working together to produce an outstanding refurbishment of an existing multi-storey, underground or surface car park. Such projects will create more than clean, bright, well signed, safe and structurally sound facilities, but also deliver aesthetically pleasing and safe gateways to destinations such as town centres, airports, rail stations, retail developments and leisure facilities.

To qualify the project must have been completed after 1 July 2010 and must hold a Park Mark issued under the ACPO Safer Parking Scheme.

The criteria

The judges will be looking in particular for car parks whose design and construction:

• Meet the specific needs of the destination served.

• Makes use of high quality materials and finish.

• Show a degree of co-operation between the developer, designers and planning authority.

• Features a sensitive, sympathetic and aesthetic treatment of exterior.

• Provides high quality, well-lit interiors.

• Have well planned vehicle circulation paths.

• Feature excellent signing of vehicle and pedestrian paths.

• Act as gateways to destinations.

• Arrangements for infrastructure maintenance (such as Life Care Plans).

Where appropriate the following areas should be addressed and supporting material provided:

  • Description of structural and operational problems affecting the car park.
  • The process of defining and planning the repairs.
  • Number of spaces, levels, etc.
  • Nature of of vehicle circulation paths.
  • Refurbishment processes and materials used.
  • Budget (overall and per space).
  • Funding package/source
  • Payment systems and enforcement regime (if appropriate)
  • Facilities for all categories of user – disabled, motorcyclists, pedestrian.
  • Facilities and working conditions for staff.
  • Security systems.
  • Environmental considerations during construction and when operational.
  • Signage arrangements, both internally and externally for guiding drivers and pedestrians.
  • Safer Parking status.
  • Other awards has the car park won.
  • Have revenue/usage expectations been met or exceeded?

Please supply:

  1. Images of car park exterior and interior.
  2. Floor plan.
  3. Details/diagram of traffic flow and site access/egress.
  4. Details/images of site signage.
  5. Evidence of Park Mark and any other awards.
  6. Customer and client feedback.
    Innovation Award

Entry Criteria

This award will be made to a parking system provider, operator or other organisation which has developed and implemented an innovative idea or package of parking measures. These measures should be significantly different to existing ones, and have the potential to improve efficiency within the parking industry. With systems and technology, the judges are looking for evidence of application in the real world — with added weight being given where tangible evidence and references are provided.

The criteria

The judges will consider:

• The parking problem that needed to be solved or need to be satisfied.

• The extent to which these objectives have been or are being met.

• The extent to which the system, technology or approach is new and unique.

• The technical merit of the innovation.

• Deliverability of the innovation – including practicalities and affordability of the idea.

• Ways in which the idea can applied in the wider parking sector.

The judges will particularly be looking for evidence of cooperation between different professions, companies, local authorities, central government, public sector, private sector to achieve a common aim

Where appropriate the following areas should be addressed and supporting material provided:

  • Description of the parking problem or need that the innovation addresses.
  • The individual or team responsible for delivering the solution.
  • How the innovation has been funded.
  • The development and testing process.
  • The degree of partnership with other interested bodies, such as local authorities, clients, manufacturers, police forces, etc.
  • Record of consultation and partnership working involved in delivering solution.
  • Evidence of successful implementation and customer/client feedback.
  • Evidence of the innovation’s success.
  • Case studies.

Please supply:

  1. Images.
  2. Customer and client feedback/testimonials.
  3. Details of other awards won.
    Enforcement Award

Entry Criteria

This award is open to all local authority and private operators managing on-street parking operations under legislation such as the Traffic Management Act 2004, Road Traffic Act 1991, etc. The award encompasses the frontline and back office aspects of enforcement.

Teams eligible for assessment include those involved in kerbside and off-street parking management. This encompasses residents’ and business permit schemes, Blue Badge fraud, bus lane enforcement schemes, school parking schemes, VED evaders, debt recovery, parking during special events, etc.

The award relates to a specific project, locale, town or contract (but is not open to overall national operations of major private sector contractors).

The criteria:

The judges are looking in particular at:

• Identification of parking problems to be addressed.

• Degree to which partnerships have been brought together to deliver results.

• Team building and staff development.

• Engagement with local community and other agencies.

• Consistent application of good practice.

• Means by which impact and success of enforcement activity is measured.

Where appropriate the following areas should be addressed and supporting material provided:

  • Definition of parking and/or other problems.
  • The team that delivered the solution.
  • Legislation used.
  • Tactics employed.
  • Enforcement technology employed on the ground and in back office.
  • How complaints and appeals have been handled.
  • How success is being measured.
  • Levels of compliance are being achieved.
  • Ways in which community was engaged with – press and publicity.

Please supply:

  1. Images.
  2. Name of team manager and key team members.
  3. Details of staff training undertaken and success obtained – NVQs, MBAs etc.
  4. Copy of Annual Report (if local authority parking team).
  5. Number of PCNs issues, appeals won, etc.
  6. Customer and client feedback/testimonials.
  7. Details of other awards won.
    Parking and the Environment Award

Entry Criteria

This award recognises the increasing number of environmentally sensitive parking operations. Schemes that are eligible include those that make parking operations more sustainable (ie: energy saving and energy efficiency technologies, recycling, etc) and ways in which parking operations can influence and transform behaviour (ie: park & ride, car clubs, car sharing, electric vehicle charging, emissions-based permit schemes, cycle parking, etc)

The criteria

The judges will be looking for the following:

  • A clearly identified environmental problem/impact to remedy.
  • The objectives of the scheme and extent to which these were achieved.
  • Evidence of cooperation between organisations involved — parking operator, local authority, planners, street management teams, manufacturers, designers, environmental consultants, local community.
  • Ways in which the environmental improvements were funded.
  • Technological and operational innovations developed to deliver environmental improvement.
  • Improvements to the car park, parking equipment, street-scene, town centre, etc
  • Ways in which the problem and solution were measures and audited.
  • Maintainability and sustainability of the scheme.
  • Does the scheme reduce car use, or encourage/ease use of alternative modes of transport (cycling, walking, buses, trains, etc)?
  • Does the scheme encourage/facilitate more environmentally friendly uses of the car or vehicles using alternative fuels?

Where appropriate, the following areas should be addressed and supporting material provided:

  • The individual or team responsible for delivering the solution.
  • Record of consultation and partnership working involved in delivering the solution.
  • Degree of innovative thinking and common sense applied to achieving the solution.
  • Marketing and publicity given to the scheme.
  • Evidence of successful implementation and customer/client feedback.
  • Evidence of the innovation’s success — user feedback, accessibility audits, etc.
  • Publicity and marketing materials.

Please supply:

  1. Images.
  2. Environmental legislation covering project.
  3. Customer and client feedback/testimonials.
  4. Details of other awards won.
    Exceptional Customer Service Award

Entry Criteria

This award will be presented to the parking organisation which best demonstrates a commitment to providing excellent customer service. The category is open to public and private sector operators and covers both the off-street and on-street sectors. The service may be either public-facing (aimed at people using car parks) or client-facing (services provided by a contractor or consultant to a parking sector client or partner, etc).

The criteria:

The judges will be looking for the following:

  • Nature of parking operation: public, private, free, charged, retail, commuter, etc.
  • Type of customer: shopper, commuter, contract, business traveller, etc.
  • Nature of service provided: park & ride, valet parking, call centre booking, etc.
  • Innovative ideas and services.
  • Tangible feedback from customers and/or clients.
  • Proof of improvements to the service/business.

Where appropriate the following areas should be address and supporting material provided:

  • Descriptions of services delivered.
  • Examples of problems identified and solved.
  • Examples of marketing literature, customer charters, etc.
  • Evidence of customer satisfaction: surveys, awards, testimonials, external audits, etc.
  • Quality awards the operation received: Investors in People, BS ISO awards, Safer Parking Scheme Park Marks, etc
  • Evidence in success in attracting more customers and repeat business.

Please supply:

  1. Images.
  2. Details of staff training undertaken.
  3. Customer and client feedback/testimonials.
  4. Details of other awards won.
    Parking in the Community Award

Entry Criteria

This category recognises the ways in which people working in the parking sector are making a positive contribution to the wider community on a local, regional or national level. Entries could be:

  1. Site or town specific services and initiatives that benefit a local community, charity and/or users with specific needs.
  2. Charitable fund-raising initiatives involving individual parking staff, teams or organisations which make a positive contribution to good causes at either a local or national level (but not just companies donating cash).

The criteria:

The judges will be looking for the following:

  • Working for and with a wider community.
  • Innovative thinking in the preparation, publicising, undertaking project/initiative.
  • Degree of success in achieving goal, making changes, improvements, etc.
  • Public profile achieved for the project, cause, etc.

Where appropriate the following areas should be addressed and supporting material provided:

  • Description of the community engagement projects or tasks undertaken.
  • Reasons for becoming involved.
  • Details of the individuals or team involved in the project.
  • How this project complements or enhances the parking personnel’s lives.
  • What, if any, parking skills are applied to the community project.
  • How the community engagement enhances the image of parking.
  • How the positive aspects of the project is publicised (if appropriate).

Please supply:

  1. Images.
  2. Customer and client feedback/testimonials.
  3. Press clippings
  4. Details of other awards won.
    Young Parking Professional Award (18-29 years)

Entry Criteria

This award recognises the rising stars of parking, people aged between 18 and 29 who represent the talent of the future. It is open to all local authorities and private operators to nominate an individual parking employee, consultant or contractor who has consistently made an outstanding contribution to the industry and represents a ‘model of excellence’.

This category is open to all levels of supervisory and management staff, including front line and back office managers, ‘parking shop’ staff, trainers, engineers, consultants, designers, IT specialists, etc.

Candidates should be no older than 29 on 1 April 2012.

The criteria:

The judges will be looking for the following:

  • A clear commitment to the parking sector as a career.
  • Examples of doing the extra things that makes for outstanding performance.
  • Consistent application of good practice.
  • Excellence as a representative of the parking industry to the customer/local community.
  • High level of respect amongst fellow employees.
  • Undertaking training in subjects and skills relevant and helpful to their parking role (NVQs, post-graduate courses, MBAs, specialist parking, highways and business management courses).
  • Active membership of parking sector bodies and initiatives (IPP, BPA regional groups and Special Interest Groups, Women in Parking, etc).

Personal circumstances will be taken into consideration by the judges.

Where appropriate the following areas should be addressed and supporting material provided:

  • Name and role of candidate.
  • Career history.
  • Testimonials, references.
  • Training undertaken.

If the candidate submits themselves please provide contact details of a referee.

Please supply:

  1. Images.
  2. Customer and client feedback/testimonials.
  3. Details of other awards won.
    Parking Person of the Year

Entry Criteria

This award is open to all local authorities and private operators to nominate an individual parking employee who has consistently made an outstanding contribution to the industry and represents a ‘model of excellence’. It is not a life-time achievement award, but reflects the achievements of a person who has really made a difference to the parking sector as it is now.

This award is open to all levels of staff, including managers, attendants, supervisors, backroom and ‘parking shop’ staff, trainers, engineers, park & ride drivers, consultants, designers, maintenance staff, sales teams etc.

The criteria:

The judges will be looking for the following:

  • A clear commitment to working in parking as a career.
  • Examples of doing the extra things that makes for outstanding performance.
  • Consistent application of good practice.
  • Excellence as a representative of the parking industry to the customer/local community.
  • High level of respect amongst fellow employees.
  • Undertaking training in subjects and skills relevant and helpful to their parking role (NVQs, post-graduate courses, MBAs, specialist parking, highways and business management courses).
  • Active membership of parking sector bodies and initiatives (IPP, BPA regional groups and Special Interest Groups, Women in Parking, etc).

Personal circumstances and disabilities will be taken into consideration by the judges.