Training seeks to boost the public perception of parking attendants

Citation

(2005), "Training seeks to boost the public perception of parking attendants", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 37 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2005.03737fab.004

Training seeks to boost the public perception of parking attendants

City & Guilds and the British Parking Association (BPA) have launched an accredited training initiative for parking attendants throughout the UK. The Level II certificate is intended to raise the standard of on-street service provided by parking attendants, and reduce conflict with motorists.

Robert Roseveare, City & Guilds general manager for security industries, said: “The public has a poor perception of parking attendants, who are subject to disturbing levels of violence and abuse. City & Guilds is pleased to be working with the BPA to offer this new qualification which will help to raise standards of parking enforcement.”

The qualification covers: enforcement of parking legislation; issuing and processing parking penalties; promotion of safe and effective working practices for parking attendants; and the parking enforcement environment. The certificate, designed in consultation with major employers in the industry, will supplement the mandatory intensive training that each employer provides to new parking attendants. This training normally lasts about three weeks.

Keith Banbury, BPA chief executive, said: “We are becoming increasingly concerned about the perception of parking attendants in the UK and the level of aggression demonstrated towards them as a result. Part of the solution is to improve their training by providing this nationally recognized qualification that will ensure quality and consistency in the level of service provided.”

Companies are not required by law to send their parking attendants on the course, but pre-launch indications are that employers welcome the move and will use the qualification in a bid to raise standards and bring about a level of self-regulation in the parking industry. In addition, many local authorities will require their chosen contractor to put staff through the training.

Keith Banbury concluded: “This new qualification offers, for the first time, a national standard for the training of on-street parking attendants which is good for them, good for the industry and good for road users.”