DRIVERS can rest easy while shopping at east Durham retail car park - knowing that it has been given endorsement for its security standards.

Dalton Park has just won its fourth Park Mark Secured Car Park award for the facility with space for 1,200 vehicles.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) launched the Secured Car Parks scheme in 1992 to encourage those responsible for car parks to improve security standards as a means of reducing criminal activity.

The scheme is supported by the Home Office and British Parking Association and is administered by the Automobile Association.

Car parks that introduce effective measures to create a safe and secure environment, which reduces public fears and restricts opportunities for crime to be committed, are given an award certificate granted for one year.

During the currency of the award, standards of the car park must be maintained and continuing improvement and maintenance of those standards will be judged during an annual re-inspection.

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Michael Banks today handed the award to Dalton Park operations manager Ian Pope. Also in attendance were Durham Constabulary’s safer parking assessor John Hedley and Safer Parking Scheme development manager for the North-East, Phil Taylor.

For more on Dalton Park call 0191-526 6157 or visit www.dalton-park.co.uk.