CAR parks in the Hambleton district are among the safest in Britain.
Council staff are celebrating after five of the car parks were granted Secure car park status by the Association of Chief Police Officers.
The council has become one of only a few authorities in the country to receive awards for a large number of car- parks in a rural area.
The awards, which are administered by the British Parking Association, are given only to those car parks with high levels of safety and security for users.
Each has to meet a set of strict criteria including lighting, surveillance, signage and management practices.
The Applegarth, Community Centre and Crosby Road car-parks in Northallerton and the Millgate and Swimming Pool car parks in Thirsk have now been added to the list of holders.
"Secure car parks not only act as a deterrent for crime but take away the fear and perception of crime, especially for women and the less able members of society," said Hambleton councillor John Morley.
Parking in Hambleton is free and to win the awards the council has worked closely with the police.
Area commander Chief Inspector Tim Madwick said it was a major achievement for Hambleton.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article