Truckstop at Folkstone Services Truck Park latest to receive top parking award

Park Mark Freight is a new and comprehensive assessment managed by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives and the British Parking Association that seeks to enhance the highest quality of today’s lorry parks and facilities in services and operations. The extension of Safer Parking to truck stops and lorry parks meets a growing demand for efficient, well-managed and high-quality lorry parks and truck stops to combat vehicle and cargo crime.

Park Mark Freight builds upon the Safer Parking Scheme’s Park Mark® Award by introducing essential criteria. The Park Mark® is primarily aimed at the prevention of criminal behaviour within the parking environment and requires owners/operators to adopt an active management strategy to ensure that there is minimal occurrence of crime. The freight industry experiences a high volume of cargo theft, and the main Safer Parking Scheme Assessment Guidelines do not explicitly cover this type of business.

To be granted Park Mark Freight, a parking facility must demonstrate a wide range of responsibilities, which include low crime, measures in place to enhance the safety of people and vehicles, good management and operations, and exemplary customer service. Facilities are subject to an annual assessment to ensure these high standards are maintained.

Getlink Customs Services said “We’re delighted to have received the Freight Park Mark Award, which reaffirms our ongoing commitment to providing safe, secure, and high-quality parking facilities for HGV drivers. This recognition highlights our dedication to supporting the haulage community by ensuring drivers have access to well-managed, comfortable, and trusted rest locations that meet the highest industry standards.

Naomi Parsons, BPA Area Manager for the Southeast said: “Chris and his team run a superb facility and go the extra mile to provide everything their customers need to ensure they are happy and refreshed when continuing with their journey. I am beyond pleased to announce that Getlink Customs Services has achieved the Park Mark Freight Award. Throughout the accreditation process, Chris’s team continually demonstrated their commitment to providing a safe environment for users.”