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Articles for 2004 and before are listed below:

Where The Commuter Is King (July 2005)

Train operating companies face the same challenges as other organisations who provide multi-site car park facilities - only more so," said Grahame Rose, Business Development Director at CP Plus. "For them, as with most businesses, the top priority is keeping their customers happy."

When commuters arrive at the station in the morning, they want fast, efficient, no fuss payment and parking. When they return at night, they want to find their vehicles safe and be able to leave with the minimum of delay.

To enable this to happen, high volumes of traffic have to be managed efficiently within very short timeframes. Unlike, for example, town centre car parks, most traffic at rail stations is tidal; the great majority of cars arrive at the same time in the morning and leave at the same time in the afternoon.

As well as daily fluctuations in traffic volume, there may be seasonal ones to contend with. The area served by one of CP Plus's rail clients, Wessex Trains, for example, includes a number of stations in the holiday regions of Devon and Cornwall. Traffic volumes at Wessex's stations can be up to 20 times higher at certain times of the year.

Managing variable volumes of traffic at constrained entry and exit times takes a well-oiled operation, well-chosen equipment, well-thought out systems and well-organised staff. CP Plus works with each rail client to provide a portfolio of appropriate products and services, suited to each client and each site.

Putting the travelling customer first is obviously the top priority. All train operating companies want to ensure their parking facilities are available to rail customers, not used as a source of cheap and convenient parking by shoppers or local business people.

Imposing the right style of enforcement is critical to achieving this aim. Grahame Rose said: "We would always advise train operating company clients to go for customer-friendly enforcement - not penalising genuine customers, while at the same time ensuring abusers don't get away with it. This means taking into account the circumstances of each incident and planning for common eventualities.

"Ideally, we strive to ensure there is minimal non-rail use of our clients' parking facilities - so there is always space available for travelling customers.

"As we prefer persuasion over penalties, we recommend operating a dual tariff system, in effect pricing non-rail customers out of rail car parks and moving them on to town centre facilities instead."

The idea is to target habitual and deliberate parking abusers, while allowing for regular commuters, who make the occasional mistake, to be treated with understanding and sensitivity.

"We certainly would not recommend coming down hard on a genuine commuter who fails to pay one morning because he or she is late for a train. Instead we have introduced flexible systems at rail stations, whereby customers can pay later in the day or when they collect their car."

In addition, CP Plus advocates special treatment to good customers. For example, special parking bays and priority parking close to the station entrance, for premium payers and season ticket holders.

Many stations operate short-term 'pick up and drop off' points, which can be a headache and need to be vigorously policed throughout the day, if they are not to be abused.

Commuter usage also has implications for security. Unlike other kinds of car parks, station facilities are unused for most of the day. Cars are sometimes left unattended for ten or more hours at a time, where there are few passers-by to be aware of any vandalism and theft that may occur.

To increase security and deter criminal activity, security at rail car parks needs to be particularly efficient and high-profile. Highly visible staff is still one of the most effective deterrents. CP Plus operates regular patrols throughout the day, backed up by CCTV and a rapid response system.

There are no general rules about running an efficient rail parking facility. "As in any other sector, every company is different and every car park is different. We assess each one individually and recommend investment, or indeed provide it, accordingly," said Grahame Rose.

"The main thing to remember is that this is a highly customer-focused sector in which the needs of the customer, as always, must come first."

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Parking Professionals To The Rescue (June 2005)

Parking at most hospitals and Healthcare Trusts is at an absolute premium and it is likely to be some time before this situation improves.

Yet while the Government pushes for successful hospitals to expand their services, when Trusts apply to Local Authorities for planning permission for more spaces, their request is turned down on the basis that they will generate too much traffic, says a frustrated Grahame Rose at car park management company CP Plus.

And the fact remains that as a hospital becomes more successful, the more people want to be treated there and Trusts could face the problem of increasingly overcrowded, inefficient car parking for patients, visitors and staff.

There are so many issues which face Trusts when it comes to parking and this is why a Trust should look to professional advice, says Rose, hospitals should be looking after people, not car parks.

Before installing any equipment or security systemS, there are a raft of questions to be considered, for instance, what is the throughput of traffic, is the signage clear, are barriers the right solution, what are the best payment and security options?

Each site will have different requirements, says Rose, and it is therefore important to tailor the parking scheme to suit each site's particular needs.

As one of the first management companies to work in the NHS sector, CP Plus has started to see overall standards improve and the reluctance to go with outside contractors is becoming a thing of the past. Trusts no longer see their car parks as a piece of tarmac, says Rose, but an important resource to be used in an efficient manner.

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Parking Abuse On The Increase (March 2005)

Retailers are fed up with inconsiderate motorists who make use of their free parking facilities and then don't spend any money in their stores, according to the car park management company CP Plus.

"With free customer parking at such a premium, it is extremely annoying when shopping centres, retail parks and factory outlets find their free spaces are being abused by rogue parkers, often local workers or customers to other stores - and it's a problem that's getting worse," says CP Plus's Grahame Rose.

"There's been a big increase in recent years. We get calls every week from retailers of all kinds desperate for help in combating this kind of parking abuse. For them, every parking space that's blocked by a non-spending customer is a wasted revenue opportunity."

It's not only free parking that is affected. The abuse of disabled parking is also widespread and increasing. A survey by the campaign group Baywatch revealed that more than one in five disabled parking bays in supermarkets is being used by a non-disabled driver.

Properly managed parking is an important part of the whole retail experience; it's the first impression that customers get. Improving customer satisfaction and encouraging shoppers to visit more often, stay longer and remain loyal are top of the hit list for any retailer - that's why it is critical that retailers come down hard on persistent offenders.

It's a complex problem that has no 'magic bullet' answer. "We suggest a range of solutions," says Rose, "depending on the site, the local conditions and the type of abuse they are experiencing. Each solution, or combination of solutions, has to be tailored to the circumstances."

Deterrents can vary from simple measures, such as using windscreen flyers and clear signage and putting uniformed parking officers on site, to more elaborate steps, such as using technology like CCTV and number recognition equipment to identify persistent abusers.

Sensibly applied enforcement is a solution that, surprisingly, most shoppers favour, says Rose. "It's only the abusers who get upset because we've taken away their free parking. The majority of genuine customers accept it as fair and reasonable and are happy that we have freed up space enabling them to park easily and quickly."

CP Plus favours a staged enforcement policy. Using this approach, the level of enforcement is gradually increased over a period of time, from a polite warning note to an eventual penalty. This has the effect of minimising abuse without antagonising the majority of legitimate parking customers.

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Transformed Car Park Wins Award (December 2004)

Plymouth City Council's Mutley Plain car park has been awarded Park Mark Safer Parking status. The award, made by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), follows measures put in place by CP Plus, in partnership with Plymouth City Council, to deter criminal activity and prevent crime. Since the site was renovated, crime figures at the 287-space car park have plummeted by approximately 80%, according to Devon and Cornwall Police.

This is an astounding achievement for a site which nine months ago was virtually derelict and a magnet for crime. The project to transform the car park from a poorly used crime blackspot to a secure and driver-friendly amenity was completed under a 15-year Public Private Partnership (PPP) with CP Plus. The car park management specialists refurbished the facility, and the company now manages and operates it on behalf of the City Council.

Mutley Plain was given the Park Mark on 17 November 2004. ACPO's Safer Parking Scheme is aimed at reducing crime and the fear of crime in parking facilities. The scheme is managed by the British Parking Association on behalf of ACPO, and supported by the Home Office and Scottish Executive.

The renovation work undertaken at Mutley Plain under contract with CP Plus included resurfacing the car park and installing new pay and display ticket machines, entrance and exit gates, additional lighting, security cameras, help points and signage. Security guards now patrol the car park during the daytime. With increased security, a brighter and cleaner environment and no dark corners, the anti-social behaviour that used to plague the site has reduced drastically.

David Richardson Parking Officer for Plymouth City Council explains: "Mutley Plain has changed from being one of our worst car parks to a facility we can be proud of, providing a high quality service to the community. In the past it was a real problem area, where vehicle dumping, theft and vandalism were rife. Some of the levels were almost empty, not being used by drivers because they were so afraid to park there.

"Now, crime levels have significantly reduced, to the extent that we've only had a couple of cases reported in the last nine months. It is a terrific transformation."

The new-look car park is on three levels, each accommodating 100 vehicles and catering for different parking needs. The first level is pay and display short-term parking. The middle level is let to Plymouth University, just ten minutes' walk away. The third and lowest level is a totally secure, barrier- and CCTV-protected area designed for longer stays with mainly season ticket usage; these spaces are mainly used by local residents and workers.

Commenting on the Mutley Plain car park project, Councillor Sue Dann, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Customer Focus, says, "This is part of a wider strategy of the Council to improve our car parks and make car parks a safer place for users."

Summing up, David Richardson says: "We are delighted with the improvements that have been carried out, which are of great benefit to residents and shoppers, who are once again able to use this facility in the knowledge that the car park is a safer place to park."

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A Professional Partnership (November 2004)

A partnership to develop major urban car parking sites across the UK has been formed between CP Plus and The Raven Group. CP Plus, founded in 1991, is the UK's fastest growing car park management and security company, managing and operating more than 450 car park sites. It is the UK's number one provider to the NHS and motorway services areas with an additional strong presence in the rail and supermarket sectors.

Complementing CP Plus' expertise is The Raven Group's reputation as a successful commercial property developer. Set up 12 years ago, the Group has accrued a broad based project portfolio which spans the retail, supermarket, office and hotel sectors.

Grahame Rose of CP Plus said: "We believe that there is a large number of surface and Multi-Storey Car Parks (MSCP) either in disrepair or that with innovation could provide both parking and other community needs. To repair or upgrade parking facilities will normally require considerable funding.

"We have set up CP Raven to provide the design and all the funding required to develop, repair, renovate, upgrade and return vastly improved structures and parking facilities to the communities across the UK."

The multi-disciplinary approach of the new partnership will lead to the provision of multi-use property developments combining retail, leisure, office and parking facilities, using the expertise of both parties.

"Imaginative, modern schemes can breathe life into an area, at the same time generating new revenue sources," says Anton Bilton of The Raven Group. "We've built a reputation for working hard and playing straight, and have joined forces with CP Plus as we believe they share the same values."

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Professional Parking Care For Hospital Trust (September 2004)

CP Plus has signed a contract to manage the parking at the two hospitals in the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

The Royal Shrewsbury in Shrewsbury and the Princess Royal in Telford were merged into one Trust in October 2003, to serve the needs of communities in Shropshire and mid-Wales. Though both are large district general hospitals, the parking issues they face are quite different.

Following the merger, the Trust decided to bring consistency to the management of parking on both sites, replacing and upgrading the different in-house systems that prevailed in the past.

"We realised we needed to bring in a professional contractor to manage traffic and car parking for us, in order to improve the service for staff, patients and visitors," explains Andy Hudson, Project Manager for the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. A tendering and presentation process, in line with European Union regulations, resulted in CP Plus winning the 10-year management contract, which runs from October at Shrewsbury and November at Telford.

"The evaluation and procurement team were impressed with CP Plus's professional approach, and their understanding of the needs of providing car park management in the healthcare environment," comments Andy. One of the car park management company's first acts was to introduce a trust-wide car parking policy to tackle the triple issues of congestion, enforcement and lack of parking spaces that afflicted both sites, as they do at many UK hospital trusts.

"Our priorities are to keep traffic moving on site and to get people to park in the designated areas," says Andy. Both congestion and inconsiderate parking were problems under the hospitals' previous parking regimes. At the Royal Shrewsbury they relied on an outdated, pay-on-exit barrier system, managed and enforced in-house. "We had problems in regard to people not adhering to the rules and regulations," Andy admits.

"Like many hospitals, we have a fair amount of development going on, which reduces the car park spaces available. As a result, people were parking on grass verges, along access roads and all over the place. Clearly, something had to be done to deal with this."

CP Plus's solution was to upgrade the car parking on site. The company has introduced a pay-and-display system for patients and visitors, and a managed permit scheme for hospital staff. The 13 pay-and-display machines installed include an advanced innovation - alphanumeric keyboards. Drivers type in their vehicle's registration number when parking, eliminating the problem of ticket transfer and increasing efficiency.

In addition, CP Plus operators are on site during extended hours to manage the running and ensure compliance. CP Plus has also reformatted the car park to provide optimum space allocation and dedicated areas for patients and visitors, and staff.

At the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, it was - in Andy Hudson's own words - "a whole new ball game." No charges at all have been made for parking in the past and CP Plus is assisting the Trust on the introduction of parking charges for the first time at the site. Eleven pay and display machines have been installed, the car parks reformatted to optimise space and an extra 70 new staff spaces constructed.

Introducing change on this scale inevitably cause ripples, as Andy Hudson explains: "CP Plus staff have been very professional and helpful throughout the implementation. No-one likes change and CP Plus has been helping us to manage the change process as smoothly as possible, and help staff, in particular, to come to terms with the new arrangements. "No doubt there will be further issues to address as the contract moves on. We look forward to working with CP Plus on dealing with them."

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New Scheme To Improve Parking Safety (August 2004)

Pressure from the parking industry has forced a rethink on car park safety. Following complaints from car park operators of unrealistic expectations, the Government and police have overhauled the 'Secured Parking Scheme', set up in 1992.

This has now been replaced with the 'Safer Parking Scheme', to be launched to the public in October under the supervision of the British Parking Association (BPA) on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

Grahame Rose of CP Plus is optimistic that the new scheme will fare better than the first, he says: "Only 1400 car parks signed up for the Secured Parking Scheme, probably because it was largely 'design' led. This is fine when building a new car park, but most existing car parks could never comply with the regulations without incurring prohibitive refurbishment costs which would only bump up parking costs to the parking public.

"The difference with the new scheme is that it is 'risk' led and taken that this is a voluntary scheme, it is much more likely to gain the support of the parking industry."

Operators will be required to focus on 'reducing risk' rather than being forced to make design improvements. This could include installing security systems, such as CCTV and panic buttons or adopting sensible practices such as vandal-proof lighting and staff patrols to ensure maximum customer safety.

Car crime accounts for a fifth of all offences, and 22% of this occurs in car parks, so police are urging the industry to pull together to drive criminals out of car parks. A criticism of the previous 'Secured Car Parks Scheme' was that the word 'secured' wrongly implied that an area had been made entirely crime free.

Deputy Chief Constable Bob Quick of ACPO says: "I am confident that the new scheme will allow all car park operators the opportunity to fulfil the criteria that will be recognised with the highly valued status." At the same time the BPA has promised to improve training of its regional inspection teams after criticism from the industry that the rules were not consistently applied.

CP Plus will be looking to put all car parks under their management forward for accreditation in the new scheme.

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Safety Of Women In Car Parks (July 2004)

The safety of anyone in a car park, whether it is a customer or member of staff, male or female, should be a top priority for any operator, says Grahame Rose of car park management company CP Plus.

"Crimes committed against women understandably receive a lot of publicity through the media which raises their fear of attack, particularly when they are on their own. However, these crimes don't receive publicity because they're happening every day, they receive publicity because they rarely occur. However, it is the duty of the car park operator to reassure its female customers and provide them with every safety precaution available to the industry in order to protect them.

"Of course it is easier when building a brand new car park to use glass and transparent materials, avoid the use of large pillars which provide hiding places for criminals and have bright state-of-the-art security lighting to avoid any dark corners. But in many cases we are talking about existing car parks where the cost of refurbishment would be prohibitive without imposing unrealistic increases in parking fees on the customer."

But that doesn't mean to say there are not many security measures which can be introduced to make existing car parks as safe as possible for women, and here CP Plus provides some useful advice:

  • Women-only parking spaces can be made available, situated close to pedestrian exits.
  • All lighting should be regularly checked and any broken light bulbs replaced or faults reported immediately. Install vandal-proof lighting to keep breakages to a minimum.
  • Night time security staff on patrol around a car park can help to deter would-be troublemakers and make women feel safer. Staff could be responsible for walking a women to her car.
  • Install security systems, such as CCTV and panic buttons. These measures can all act as a deterrent to would-be attackers and give reassurance to women parking alone.
  • Where landscaping is relevant, all plants should be slow growing and low level so as not to impede security.
  • Make entry and exit signage as clear as possible for both pedestrians and drivers, so as not to panic women who may be nervous finding a space or finding the exit on their own.
  • Keep your car park clean and tidy, although this may not appear to directly relate to security, it will make customers feel more confident and want to park there. A dirty, rubbish-strewn car park is more likely to attract anti-social behaviour.
  • Register your car park under the newly revised 'Safer Parking Scheme', supervised by the British Parking Association (BPA) on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). This will help you to provide the highest standard of safety for all your customers.

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Smarter parking for wessex trains (May 2004)

Wessex Trains, which operates train services from Penzance to Gloucester and Cardiff to Brighton, has appointed car park management expert CP Plus to oversee a step change in the service provided at its 22 paying car parks throughout the South West.

Although the company had an existing contractor in place to cover its commuter car parks, this was largely a clamping operation put in place to administer the nuts and bolts of ticketing machines. Jeremy Whitaker, Commercial Director explains: "The level of enforcement had become very low, parking bays were not clearly defined, signage had not been brought up to date and the standard of cleanliness was generally poor.

"Although we had no real customer complaints, due to lack of management we did not feel we were giving the impression of a 21st century car park. Prices had not changed to reflect local circumstances for a number of years and coupled with the rather 'down at heel' appearance, we decided it was time to smarten up."

CP Plus won the contract following a robust competitive tender process. Jeremy Whitaker said: "We awarded CP Plus the contract as we were particularly impressed by their staffing cover and flexibility of their service.

"Our contract with them allows for daily staffed visits to our paying locations but will also include visits to some of our non-paying car parks, which in some cases have a high level of abuse of parking regulations. At these locations, CP Plus will advise whether a charging system would improve the situation."

First impressions are important, which is why CP Plus plans to replace signage, refurbish the pay and display machines where necessary and paint new white lines to define parking areas, paying particular attention to disabled bays. Cleanliness problems will be improved by a daily litter pick.

The implementation of a structured car park management scheme not only improves services to customers but can significantly increase revenue. CP Plus' Grahame Rose says: "A secure, pleasant and well-run car park is an important part of the whole commuting experience. A good parking policy lays down the principles that will ensure customers are provided with facilities that meet their needs, gives them peace of mind and encourage them to return."

Uniformed staff help towards improved security, as well as provide an important customer facing role. All CP Plus staff are vetted and receive a comprehensive training and on-going assessment programme.

Wessex Trains acknowledge that they will benefit from the services CP Plus bring and recognise that safe and secure parking facilities can only benefit the community in their service areas.

Jeremy Whitaker summarises: "It was clear that CP Plus had understood the needs of our business, which has a franchise extension through to March 2006, by coming up with a pragmatic pricing structure which recognised the need to make improvements within our cost limitations.

"They also showed they were able to adapt to seasonal changes we experience on our Portsmouth route which serves Cardiff and the Millennium Stadium and in Devon and Cornwall, where customer volumes can be 20 times higher in the summer.

"This is about putting in management with a capital 'M', management by professionals, which is long overdue."

The car park management contract will start mid-May and run initially for two years.

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Finding A Cure For Hospital Parking Blues (May 2004)

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust and car park management specialist, CP Plus, are working together to find a cure for longstanding access and congestion problems at the Trust's biggest site.

Under a three-year contract, on 1 May CP Plus took over management of the 2000-space car parks at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, the largest of 13 sites within the Trust.

Like many NHS Trusts, the Royal Cornwall has been experiencing parking problems for a number of years. Access to and from the site is difficult and the parking provision is constantly hard-pressed. At peak times, parking abuse can lead to badly parked vehicles blocking access roads and, with spaces at a premium during these periods, hospital staff often use public parking areas, causing problems for visitors and patients.

Judith Rowe, Site Services Manager at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, takes up the story. "The problems of accessibility onto the site and, once on site, problems of congestion have been a source of frustration to everyone working here or visiting."

A mixture of pay-and-display and pay-on-exit schemes introduced some time ago has failed to get to the root of the problems. So when the car park management contract at the Royal Cornwall came up for renewal, it seemed the perfect opportunity for the Trust to grasp the nettle and solve these issues.

CP Plus, with its extensive experience of car park management in the NHS and other sectors, was one of a number of companies who tendered for the work.

"The Trust went through a robust procurement process - and CP Plus came out on top," says Judith. "We used a scoring system, with tendering companies marked against three areas - value for money, technical and operational ability, safety and security.

"CP Plus scored highest in all three. They came out as offering good value for money being forward thinking, innovative and pro-active. They impressed us as being ready to move forward with us and work with us - that came over very strongly - with good communications very much being the key."

CP Plus is currently in discussion with the Trust to develop and implement a new parking management scheme for the site, which will include new signage and machines. The introduction of a new parking policy and more effective enforcement procedures is high on the agenda, as is the Trust's commitment to support staff in using alternative forms of transport.

The process of establishing good communications has got off to a good start already, as Judith Rowe explains: "CP Plus tells us that efficient management and enforcement are the key to solving our on site problems. We've met their team and are very much looking forward to working with them on improving our parking services - and getting this site back on track."

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Marking Life Easier For Commuters (April 2004)

Commuters rely every day on an efficient car parking system that will allow them to park with the minimum of fuss and ensure the safety of their car while they are away all day.

CP Plus has been managing 93 station car parks for South West Trains for the past 2_years in an arrangement which has worked so well that they have now been awarded the contract for a further 3 years.

CP Plus operates a three-pronged approach to enforcement in the South West Trains car parks called the STEP (Staged Enforcement Policy) system, under which parking abusers are issued with warning notices and then charge notices, and are only clamped as a last resort. This has dramatically reduced the number of customer complaints and increased compliance to ticket purchase.

Jo Shelley from South West Trains says: "Operating a customer-focused service alongside a system which protects our revenue streams has proved extremely successful. We are more than satisfied with the level of service provided by CP Plus and look forward to our continued working relationship with them."

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Solving Parking Problems Today And Tomorrow (March 2004)

Within a month of appointing CP Plus in February 2004 to manage its car parks, most of the parking problems experienced by the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust were eased. Within the next year, the construction of a �3.5 million multi-storey car park facility, also being developed by CP Plus, will solve the Trust's problems for the foreseeable future.

As John Cawood, Estates and Capital Manager, Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust explains, parking issues at the Trust's two sites required two different approaches: tactical, to ease the immediate situation and strategic, to deal with longer-term demands on the service.

Following a tendering and interview process, CP Plus was selected to help with both the interim and long-term solutions. The Trust chose CP Plus because it believed the contractor offered the best choice of services across the board, with extensive experience in both car park management and new-build development, in the NHS and other sectors.

The Trust's two sites at Bournemouth and Christchurch are just two miles apart. Under the existing arrangements, Bournemouth has 945 staff and 425 pay and display spaces; the smaller Christchurch site has 193 staff and 121 pay and display places. "As hospital targets have increased and the numbers of patients treated have risen, we get more and more visitors, who require more parking spaces," John continues. "Just about all hospitals in the UK have come under pressure like this, the Trust is not unusual in this respect. We simply don't have sufficient parking."

It was decided that a new-build facility was the only long-term answer. As well as providing 700 additional parking spaces, the multi-storey construction will release land currently used for surface parking, making more flexible use of the site. If all approvals are met, to finance the new development the Trust will enter into a 25-year Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with CP Plus. Under the terms of the contract, CP Plus will provide the capital for the development and construction of the car park.

Income generated from staff and patient parking charges will pay for the capital development, over the contract period. Once planning permission has been granted, it will take about a year for the new facility to be built. In the meantime, however, parking is still a problem at the Bournemouth and Christchurch hospitals. Clearly something needed to be done urgently. CP Plus was asked to provide an interim car park management solution to 'ease the squeeze'.

The results of the new parking management regime were almost immediate. "Within a month, CP Plus had already achieved some the objectives set for them, in terms of improving the management of the car parks," says John. "We're now able to provide a better service to our staff, patients and visitors. Naturally, we're very pleased."

"Our main management problem was that we didn't have enough parking for staff on site at the right times and in the right places. CP Plus got to the bottom of that straightaway, putting operators on site to deal with the situation. They've made all the difference � and they have the right attitude. They are there to help and not to upset people, yet they have a firm hand when it's needed."

The Trust has been pioneering other methods of easing parking problems too. Since 2003 it has been running a Green Travel Plan scheme. In that time significant numbers of staff have been persuaded to cycle to work, share their cars, or make use of an off-site park and ride service. To date, more than 125 members of staff have given up their parking permits and found a greener way to travel to work. "The scheme is very successful," says John, "more successful than we thought, overachieving the targets we set." The Green Travel Plan will continue, providing a complementary service alongside the new multi-storey.

Summing up John, says, "CP Plus have been very helpful and there have been no problems so far. They are currently monitoring the sites for us. So we will soon have further very useful information on our busy times and flat periods, which will help us plan still further. "The interim arrangement being run by CP Plus for us is easing our parking problems for the time being and the multi-storey will, we hope, solve the issue more permanently."

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Don't Stop 'Til You Shop (February 2004)

CP Plus is helping retail clients enforce a 'Don't stop unless you shop' policy aimed at discouraging commuters and office workers from occupying shoppers' parking spaces.

It is estimated that every supermarket car parking space occupied by a non-customer loses the business �200 per day and with some supermarkets losing up to 10 per cent of their spaces the losses can be as much as �500,000 per year.

Comments Grahame Rose: "The problem is escalating for supermarkets. Our research shows that shoppers who are unable to park are likely to drive on to another retailer where parking is better policed. The loss of business and goodwill can be significant."

He says supermarkets who suffer most tend to be those in town centres where their car parks are seen as a free for all; those near office developments which are abused by local workers and those near train and coach stations which are packed out with commuters.

"Car parking generally is becoming harder to find and more expensive and drivers will try and get away without paying if they can. That is why we are working with an increasing number of retailers to drive home the 'Don't stop til you shop' message to non-customers.

"A secure, pleasant, efficient and well-run car park is an important part of the whole shopping experience and the first impression customers get when they visit a store. These are shoppers car parks and we help our clients to keep them for shoppers through effective and sensitive car park management and control."

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Can't Catch TV (January 2004)

Car park owners and operators are placing too much faith in CCTV in the fight against crime, according to car park management company, CP Plus' Ian Langdon.

He points out that CCTV can be found everywhere in our towns and cities from shops to swimming pools, cashpoints to car parks and as a result is losing its effectiveness as a deterrent, particularly in the battle against petty crime.

Says Langdon: "When CCTV first started appearing it deterred thieves and vandals but that is often no longer the case. It is often a reactive rather than pro-active solution when it is used after someone has vandalised or broken into your car.

"And petty thieves know that the police are far too over-stretched to spend hours watching CCTV footage trying to identify culprits who have committed minor crime.

"CCTV in car parks or anywhere else, can be highly beneficial when serious crimes are committed but in the cases of small time thefts and vandalism it really is Can't Catch TV."

He says that instead of seeing CCTV as the only form of protection for their car park, managers and operators should regard it as just one of the weapons in their armoury.

CP Plus believes that CCTV is only effective when complemented by manned patrols on site. If an offender is seen acting suspiciously staff are immediately on hand to prevent a crime being committed and even if culprits are only seen after an offence has occurred, they are still likely to be apprehended before they leave the site.

Langdon's stance is supported by Home Office's Secured Car Parks Scheme, which states that effective surveillance should comprise both CCTV and human presence with random foot patrols.Other recommendations are: secure boundaries with minimal pedestrian access routes; good lighting, integrated long and short stay areas, minimal foliage and areas of concealment and effective barriers.

Home Office statistics reveal that 40% of all day time thefts from cars take place in public car parks but currently only about 7% of car parks are signed up to the Secured Car Parks Scheme. On average car parks see a 70% reduction in crime following Secured Status.

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Welcoming A Professional Approach (October 2003)

The major UK motorway services provider, Welcome Break, has recently signed a five-year contract with CP Plus to manage car parking at its 22 sites. The deal is part of a move by Welcome Break to improve its services to both car drivers and HGV customers.

CP Plus is a market leader in the transport sector, managing railway station parking as well as national motorway service stations.

"We decided to go ahead with CP Plus because they understand the market and can manage our parking facilities more efficiently than we can - their track record shows that. This leaves us to focus on what we do best, providing places for our customers to relax, eat and drink," says Karen McKechnie, Welcome Break Business Development Director.

Some of the biggest names in UK transport have seen parking revenues increase and their parking assets controlled and managed more efficiently, since contracting out to CP Plus.

"Our expertise is car park management. It's all we do and we manage and operate car parks in a wide variety of industry sectors," says CP Plus's, Grahame Rose. "We are particularly excited about working with Welcome Break, as it consolidates our position as market leader in the motorway service area sector."

For Welcome Break, the top priority in choosing CP Plus was to enable them to provide higher levels of customer care. By outsourcing its car park management, Welcome Break is able to concentrate on its core business, while also enhancing its customer offering.

"Before the recent agreement, we managed parking at our motorways service areas in-house, but for us it was very much a secondary activity. CP Plus is clearly an expert in this area and for them it is their primary focus," explains Karen McKechnie, Welcome Break Business Development Director.

"With their knowledge and experience, we believe our car parks will be more professionally managed and run, to the benefit of all our customers. Our research shows that drivers are looking for more from motorway service areas these days. They are more demanding. To meet these growing needs, for example, we have recently invested �100,000 in shower facilities for HGV drivers. "Upgrading the management of parking through this agreement is an integral part of our commitment to providing a continually improving service."

"Although better customer service was the main reason for deciding to work with CP Plus, any financial gain in the future would, of course, be an added bonus for Welcome Break. It is still early in the agreement and improving our customer service remains uppermost in our minds, but hopefully with time we will also see increased revenues," says Karen.

The deal is already paying off in terms of more efficient payment collection and enforcement. "With better management processes in place and a higher profile presence on site, CP Plus is able to ensure that people who park for extended periods do pay and that parking abusers don't monopolise the best spaces all day, inconveniencing our other customers," Karen concludes.

"Our aim is to be sensitive to our customers' needs and meet those needs to the best of our ability. CP Plus is helping us do that."

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Hospitals Bring In Parking Control July 2003

Two Welsh hospitals are bringing in management controls to ease the pressure on parking problems and provide extra places for staff. Carmarthenshire NHS Trust says the current lack of parking controls and lack of a payment system is leading to congestion and inconvenience to both staff and visitors, which is why they have just awarded a 15 year Public Private Partnership contract to CP Plus.

The contract will involve construction of additional spaces and implementation of a management and control system in the car parks at West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen and Prince Phillip Hospital in Llanelli.

At West Wales General Hospital, an additional 100 spaces for staff will be constructed, bringing the number of staff spaces to 746. Staff parking will be operated with a permit system and the new pay and display system for visitors will accommodate 254 vehicles, bringing the total number in the newly expanded parking areas to 1,000 spaces. At the Prince Phillip Hospital at Llanelli, which has 350 staff and 228 visitor parking spaces, similar measures will be put in place to tackle the problem. Highly trained, uniformed staff will be provided on both sites to dramatically improve service efficiency and security at the hospital for staff and visitors. Both sites are scheduled to be fully operational by September 2003.

Carmarthenshire NHS Trust is the latest NHS Trust to work with CP Plus who is the market leader in this sector, operating at over 50 NHS sites. CP Plus' Head of Development, Grahame Rose believes that the company's success of working within the healthcare sector boils down to understanding the very special needs of hospital trusts and others in the sector. He says: "Each hospital or other healthcare organisation will have different needs and during a series of meetings we will discuss their particular requirements with them to ensure that the tailored programme we construct is ideally suited to their situation."

NHS Trusts often do not have funds available for these types of projects and CP Plus is able help with this by providing funding through PPP/PFI projects, which not only improves the levels of service, without eating into valuable healthcare resources but at the same time can create revenue generation opportunities.

Mansell Bennett from Carmarthenshire NHS Trust said: "We knew that we needed more spaces and that we also had to address the high levels of vehicle turnover and staff parking needs, but also that we couldn't forget that patients and their families are often under stress when visiting the hospitals and need to be treated sympathetically." With their vast experience of delivering a quality car parking service to the NHS, we are confident that CP Plus has the right expertise to provide a parking solution to suit our particular needs."

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Partnership With Plymouth City Council (June 2003)

Under a 15-year Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract with Plymouth City Council, CP Plus is to refurbish, manage and operate the Mutley Plain Car Park which has been the subject of abuse and unsociable behaviour for many years.

The investment will include Pay and Display machines, resurfacing, entrance exit gates, additional lighting, CCTV and help points, lines, signs and painting.

In the first phase of the project, 200 places will be provided to serve the local community in the busy Plymouth suburb. The new-look car park is scheduled to be revealed in early summer 2003.

Brian Fossey, Parking Manager of Plymouth City Council's Transport and Planning Services says: "We see this as an ideal opportunity to provide benefits to the community as well as shoppers and visitors to the area.

"We are confident that businesses, traders and residents will support the creation of a secured car park in their area and take advantage of the benefits offered."

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Crackdown On Car Park 'Cheats' (May 2003)

Owners of large private car parks on the outskirts of London's Congestion Zone are being forced to take emergency action against 'cheating' drivers out to beat the cost of driving into the capital, according to CP Plus, the UK's leading car park management company.

Three months after the �5 a day charge was introduced, evidence shows that major roads leading into the capital are more crowded than ever before as drivers fight to get as close to the centre as they can, before abandoning their vehicles for public transport.

As a result, businesses on the edge of the Zone are having to introduce barriers and parking permits to stop unwanted drivers stealing parking spaces from paying customers.

"We have been approached by a number of businesses and car park owners who are fed up with the 'ditch and ride' mentality that has developed since the charge was introduced," said Grahame Rose, of CP Plus.

"These drivers are cheating the system by targeting large unmanaged car parks owned by hotels, supermarkets, leisure centres and other venues because they know they won't be caught. We are even aware of some people who use a different car park for each day of the week to lessen the chance of being spotted.

"Businesses are telling us that this is affecting their own level of customer service and causing concern that genuine customers are being driven away because they can't find a parking space."

A survey just released by Trafficmaster revealed that journey times on 10 out of the 12 major routes into London have increased dramatically since the charge was introduced, with the worst hotspots around Archway, the Blackwall Tunnel, Wandsworth, Acton and the Westway.

At the same time, figures show that an extra 300,000 Londoners are opting for the bus and Rose believes this is further proof that people are driving as far as they can before ditching their cars for the day.

To help businesses cope with the problem of unwanted vehicles, CP Plus has produced a free guide 'Beat the Cheats' which can be read here.

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A Healthy Parking Solution (May 2003)

CP Plus has secured a three-year contract with the Royal Marsden Hospitals NHS Trust in Sutton and Chelsea. The Sutton car park operates pay-on-foot and an enforcement scheme at Chelsea will provide priority parking for staff.

Gary Burkill, Deputy Director of Facilities at the Royal Marsden, says: "The Trust is impressed with the smooth transition of its car park management contract to CP Plus and with their manner and professionalism during the first six weeks of the new contract."

CP Plus is the UK's leading parking service provider to the NHS, working with 20 NHS Trusts and managing over 50 sites. Working in this specialist area means being aware of the many issues faced by the healthcare industry, such as priority staff parking, and keeping emergency access clear, as well as being sensitive to patients needs.

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A Little Help For Tesco (April 2003)

A deal signed by CP Plus with Tesco, to manage and control car parks at 10 of the supermarket chain's stores, includes the introduction of a time limit system, to help stamp out parking abuse by local workers and commuters.

Grahame Rose at CP Plus says: "We work with a number of retail operations and appreciate that each one needs to be treated differently and a parking scheme tailored to their particular needs.

"We are delighted to be working with Tesco and are confident that our style of management and effective parking system will improve the standard of service for their customers."

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