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We are now responsible for issuing permits, checking that vehicles have a valid parking session, permit or exemption and enforcing parking restrictions across the Council’s road network and car parks.

APCOA’s solution includes a combination of technology platforms to assist enforcement, moving traffic and permit management, and civil enforcement teams on the ground. Support for customers is provided via our National Customer Service Centre and CCTV control room.

APCOA is very experienced in providing cost-effective, tailored solutions to local government authorities. We are also rated highly by customers on Trustpilot, where 65% of almost 40,000 reviews are scored as 5*.

Kingston Council’s Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Transport and Waste and Recycling, Cllr Nicola Nardelli said: “We’re delighted to welcome APCOA as our new parking and enforcement contractor. The company demonstrated through a robust 10 month procurement process that it would provide the best overall solution for our residents.”

“APCOA’s Regional Managing Director (UK & Ireland), Kim Challis said: “We’re proud to have begun our partnership with Kingston Council and to share APCOA’s widespread experience, technology and digital solutions for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors to the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.”

Firstly, Ellen Tooley, who works for APCOA in Bishops Stortford as part of the parking services team with East Herts Council, won the Front Line Award, rightly receiving the loudest cheers of the day! Ellen delivers exceptional performance, is dedicated to good practice and customer service, and is a positive representation of the parking industry.  Ellen has faced significant challenges, not least recovery from a severe stroke, but her determination, professionalism and commitment make her an extremely well-deserved winner. East Herts Council added: “Here at East Herts Council parking services, we sincerely acknowledge Ellen Tooley’s dedication and service as a Civil Enforcement Officer. Your long-term commitment has not gone unnoticed, and we are proud of the high standards you continue to maintain despite the challenges you face. Your perseverance and excellence have rightfully earned you this well-deserved award. We commend and praise your achievements. Well done!"
 
APCOA was also awarded the Communication Award for our response to a major incident - the multi-storey car park fire at London Luton Airport (LLA) last October which affected more than 14,000 vehicles. In close partnership with LLA, our cross-departmental teams worked tirelessly to keep car park customers, other stakeholders and the media updated through a steady flow of information. Delivering a comprehensive, controlled and co-ordinated communications response to this high-profile emergency situation was undoubtedly a challenge, but also a significant achievement for APCOA.
 
And thirdly we must mention our superb Customer Service Centre – shortlisted for the Back Office Award, they didn’t win the category this year, but we want to pay our own tribute to their growth and hard work over the past five years as they have taken on more services, becoming an essential and integral part of APCOA’s operations and client support. Following the car park fire, the CSC team played a major role, handling more than 16,500 incoming enquiries during the first fortnight alone. We’ll be back next year!
 
Finally, big Congratulations to the team behind the British Parking Awards for organising such a great event!
 

The CX Awards celebrate those who have gone above and beyond in providing stellar customer experience, and the judges have whittled down hundreds of entries to select the very best. They say that this year’s competition has seen some of the highest quality submissions to date, and it's clear that everyone – including APCOA - is eager to show off their initiatives, improvements, and outright customer wins!  We now have to wait until October for the winners to be announced.

The new arrangement with APCOA came into force on 1st July 2024 and means APCOA Environmental Enforcement Officers (EEO) are patrolling on streets, in town centres, and in parks and open spaces. They will be able to promptly report and arrange clearance of incidents of fly-tipping, prevent cases of littering and dog fouling, and issue on-the-spot fixed penalty notices (FPN) to offenders where necessary. The patrols will support the councils to be better able to proactively respond to known environmental problems.

Kim Challis, Regional Managing Director (UK&I) at APCOA said: “We are really pleased to be working now with Ealing, Harrow and Hounslow councils, using our extensive experience in environmental enforcement to help tackle anti-social problems. We welcome the opportunity to make a difference to the local communities across these three London boroughs.”

Further details about fixed penalty notices can be found on each council’s website.

There is already EV charging available in many of the UK car parks APCOA manages, with more than 1,000 charge points installed and a further 300+ in the pipeline for this year. They are in car parks servicing destinations including rail, health, education, hospitality, retail, local government and airports.

APCOA’s first installations of CTEK charge points have just gone into car parks owned by Hillingdon Council in West London. APCOA is also installing CTEK charge points at 37 of the railway station car parks it runs for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR).

Nathan Courts, CTEK’s Key Account Manager in the UK, said: "We are thrilled to be working with the biggest name in UK car park management. This agreement aligns perfectly with our mission to provide reliable and intelligent destination charging solutions for a greener future.

“Our new CHARGESTORM CONNECTED 3 (CC3) charge point meets the ISO15118 standard so is primed for the next wave of EV charging innovation and is designed to smoothly interact with APCOA’s friction-free approach to the parking, payment and charging experience for drivers.”

Kim Challis, APCOA’s Regional Managing Director - UK & Ireland, said: “We are very excited about this partnership with CTEK which enables us to offer our clients the very latest in dual 22kW technology and functionality, in conjunction with APCOA’s exceptional customer and operational management services.”

CC3 is CTEK’s most advanced charge point to date which is ready for the next era of EV adoption including ‘plug & charge’ automatic vehicle identification. It supports the latest OCPP 2.0.1 standard (Open Charge Point Protocol) for interoperability and communication.

Designed both for ease of installation and ease of use, CC3’s robust anti-tamper enclosure and advanced cyber security features, plus its dual socket options and up to 22kW charging, make it ideally suited to multiple charge point installations at car parks.

Daniel Forsberg, Marketing Manager EVSE at CTEK, said: "Partnering with APCOA enables us to significantly expand our footprint in providing cutting-edge EV charging solutions across the UK. With the installation of our advanced CHARGESTORM CONNECTED units, we are excited to contribute to a more sustainable future by making EV charging more accessible and efficient in key locations nationwide."

APCOA won three prestigious EV awards in 2023: EV Champion of the Year at the British Parking Awards; EV Charging Award at the CiTTi Awards; and Partnership of the Year for the APCOA and Network Rail EV Partnership at the National Sustainability Awards. And CTEK won the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Manufacturer of the Year at the UK’s E-Mobility Awards 2023.

For more insights into how CTEK supports your transition to EV charging, visit ctek.com

The win coincides with Sandwell council awarding a further 5+ year contract to APCOA for the provision of parking management services across the borough, reflecting the positive relationship between the two organisations.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council’s Blue Badge Misuse Initiative Team is a joint initiative with the Counter Fraud Unit, APCOA’s Parking Enforcement team and Legal Services. It successfully implemented a renewed scheme to target blue badge misuse. The Team’s actions have resulted in increased prosecutions and community awareness, protecting vulnerable residents.  

Kim Challis, APCOA’s regional managing director, UK & Ireland, said: “This award reflects the innovative approach and excellent work done by the group and all our front line colleagues – it is a great example of partnership in action. A fantastic achievement by all involved to tackle an important issue - the win is very well deserved!”

The ALARM Public Sector Risk Management Award includes a variety of public sectors including emergency services, local government, housing associations and higher educational services etc from all across the UK.

Kim Challis, APCOA’s Regional Managing Director UK&I, concurs: “A controlled CPZ is an important strategy in managing unauthorised or anti-social parking and we are pleased to be working in partnership with the London Borough of Richmond, using our experience and expertise to deliver a first-class service for residents and visitors alike”.

Paul Chadwick, Executive Director for Environment and Community Services, Richmond Council concludes: "Richmond Council prioritises helping our residents to use forms of travel that support our environmental and health goals, particularly moving safely around our borough on foot - ensuring our parking options are used in a controlled way is essential to facilitating this. We are looking forward to working with APCOA and are pleased to being partnering with an organisation who shares our commitment to reducing the carbon impact of our operations."

CEO’s will address high polluting incidents of engine idling by informing drivers of the environmental impact and will also carry portable air monitoring devices, gathering data to inform the council’s ongoing focus on improving air quality for its 329,000 residents.

APCOA CEO’s will operate in the borough seven days a week, enforcing Wandsworth’s parking regulations, put in place to keep traffic moving safely, to maintain access for emergency vehicles and to ensure that parking is fair and equitable for both residents and visitors. Where necessary, CEO’s will have the ability to report vehicles for re-location and removal.

Wandsworth’s Cabinet Member for Transport Jenny Yates said: “We are looking forward to working with our new parking contractor APCOA and we welcome their commitment to decarbonising their operations.”

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director (UK & Ireland) Kim Challis concludes: “With a vast amount of experience in deployment and outstanding levels of expertise and customer service, we are looking forward to working in close partnership with the London Borough of Wandsworth to deliver an innovative and sustainably focused service.”
 

The initial meetings with NU Electrics, Focused Futures Consultancy Ltd, Seetec Pluss, PowerQuad and Booni Box have now taken place and we look forward to continuing our support each of these businesses with regular mentor meetings and ongoing reviews of their action plans. Feedback has so far been incredibly positive with all five SME’s seeking to maximise the benefits of the opportunity. One business commented that they are ‘happy to be working closely with APCOA and Heathrow. This is a wonderful opportunity that I know that we are all grateful for’ whilst another mentee said ‘I feel extremely grateful that we have been selected for this programme & I am committed to doing my part in making it as successful as possible’.

APCOA is very much looking forward to being part of the development of each of these local businesses and our thanks to Simon Butterfield, Heathrow's Head of Procurement (Operations) for supporting APCOA with this project.
 

Drivers can look for APCOA charge points using the network filter on the Zapmap app where they can also search for charging types and speeds compatible with their own vehicle. 

APCOA now operates more than 750 EV charging points in the UK with facilities varying from two units at King William Car Park in Hull to 160 at Reading station. EV charging is one of the central pillars of APCOA’s core business, key to a more sustainable future and part of a versatile, and future orientated approach to getting the best from each and every parking space. 

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director UK&I and Group ESG Director Kim Challis comments, ‘APCOA’s live data partnership with Zapmap is another positive step in the direction of a more sustainable future, making it easier for EV drivers to plan their journeys and use real time information to inform their decisions. With an ever-increasing network of chargers across the UK, supported by a 24/7 manned customer service centre, APCOA parking and charging solutions are a convenient and reliable choice for customers’.

This where APCOA’s end to end EV charge point management capabilities are making a significant difference, combining EV charging and parking with routine journeys and offering reliable facilities in areas of high population density. APCOA now manages over 750 EV charge points (both fast and ultra rapid) across multiple sectors including rail, health, education, hospitality, local government and airports with both on and off-street facilities.

APCOA’s full service offering spans solution architecture and installation through to friction free multiple payment options and handling, 24/7/365 manned customer service support and evaluation of usage data using APCOA’s analytics dashboard. 

From two charge points at King William Car Park in Hull to 160 at Network Rail’s Reading station, every site counts and every sustainable journey supports APCOA’s own significant ESG commitments as well as contributing to the sustainable transformation of urban areas and the reduction of CO2 emissions. 

The impact and success of our EV strategy has already gained recognition within the parking industry and beyond, winning three prestigious awards in 2023 and securing a place on key frameworks:
•    ‘EV Champion of the Year’ at the British Parking Awards
•    ‘EV Charging Award’ at the CiTTi Awards
•    ‘Partnership of the Year: APCOA & Network Rail EV Partnership’ at the National Sustainability Awards
•    Selected on key EV frameworks for Clients to access include Crown Commercial Framework, NEPO and Shared Business Services Framework (SBS).

With the strategic expansion of this sector and in partnership with clients across many areas of business, APCOA will continue to demonstrate its commitment to making our ecosystem as sustainable as possible.
 

Stuttgart, Germany and Greenwich, CT, USA. 7 February, 2024 – APCOA Parking Holdings (“APCOA”), Europe’s leading parking infrastructure operator, and Strategic Value Partners, LLC and its affiliates (together, “SVP”), a global alternative investment firm with over $18 billion in assets under management, today announced that SVP-managed funds have completed the previously announced acquisition of APCOA following the receipt of all necessary approvals.

To learn more about the APCOA Parking Holdings acquisition, please view the October 2023 press release announcement here.

The framework, available to all local authorities and public sector organisations nationwide, covers both the operation and maintenance of new EV infrastructure and is designed to boost investment in this sector and positively impact on the pace of EV rollout in the North East and across the whole of the UK.

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director UK&I and Group ESG Director Kim Challis comments,  ‘APCOA is already a trusted provider of key services to more than 60 different local authorities and public sector organisations and now, through the NEPO framework, our expertise in delivering end-to-end EV services will help to accelerate the provision of reliable EV infrastructure to support communities and benefit the environment’. 
 

Both APCOA and East Herts Council take a zero tolerance approach to abuse of our employees and will always support the police to bring prosecutions wherever possible, including recorded footage of incidents from CEO body-worn cameras.

By working with a unique network of partner organisations, APCOA’s Sheffield Urban Mobility Hub has been equipped to offer a range of services which are focused on the needs of the local community. These include five Compleo EV fast chargers, secure lockable bike racks with integral EV charging and three vendor lockers covering all major delivery outlets and eliminating the need for emission-heavy multiple location courier drop offs.

The new look Moor Hub also provides visitors with a pre-bookable, soundproof, heated private office pod, a seating area and vending facilities. There is also an information screen displaying real-time bus, rail and tram timetables and free WiFi is available throughout.

Visitors will find clearly marked designated bays for EV charging, blue badge holders, parent and child parking and pre bookable premium parking, all facilitated by state-of-the-art ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology and linked to a variety of convenient payment options including autopay, pre-booking, APP payment, ScanPay and late-pay. Enhanced and energy efficient LED lighting and paperless parking transactions also improve the experience for customers and add to the increased sustainability of the site.

Additionally, there are opportunities for local businesses to utilise the existing infrastructure and footfall to their advantage by working with APCOA to create pop up shops and kiosks or to use parking bays for other innovative services. Interested businesses can find out more by contacting marketinguk(at)apcoa.com.

Urban Mobility Hubs are undoubtedly the future of car parks and a convenient and practical centre point for communities committed to sustainability. With more than 1600 car parks across the UK, there is enormous potential for APCOA to make a difference by working with landlords and our partner organisations to create a network of Urban Mobility Hubs which support sustainability goals and greatly benefit local communities. APCOA’s Manchester Urban Mobility Hub is due to go live within the next few weeks with seven further sites identified for transformation over the coming months.

APCOA PARKING becomes APCOA. This change of name, which took effect on 14 December 2023, is accompanied by a further development of the company’s strategy. Going forward the company will deliver services across four distinct business lines - “Parking”, "Charging", "Technology" and "Urban Solutions". These business lines are unique in their combination in the market and complement each other. Supported by this new strategy, APCOA intends to continue to shape the future of parking and to maximise the generated value of every parking space.

Philippe Op de Beeck, CEO of APCOA, says: "We are now embarking on the next step in the implementation of our long-term growth strategy. The combination of our four business lines will ensure that we will maximise the use of our parking infrastructure and the urban space it occupies - in the interests of the owners of the respective parking spaces, the users of our services and urban society in general. In this way, we intend to contribute to a sustainable future of mobility."

“Parking” continues to form the foundation of the business of APCOA, which has been established for over 50 years. As Europe's leading parking operator, the Group manages more than 1.8 million individual parking spaces at 13,000 locations in 13 European countries. The company has more than doubled its portfolio in the last 10 years. By 2025 APCOA aims to exceed revenues to 1 billion euros.

In terms of the business line “Charging” APCOA invests in infrastructure for electric cars and operates them as charge point operator (CPO). APCOA has to date installed 4,000 charging points in Europe, including 3,000 since the beginning of 2023 alone. The company aims to operate a total of 100,000 charging points by 2035. The overall consumer proposition is enriched by high performance charging points, which are installed at APCOA locations across Europe by industry leading partners such as Tesla, BP, Ionity and Mer.

"Technology" encompasses digital platforms for new products and interfaces for the integration of third-party companies and their services. These include the consumer apps APCOA FLOW and APCOA Connect. Both platforms simplify the parking process in car parks. For example, the barrier opens automatically at the entrance and exit - and payment is just as timesaving via the app. Collectively, the APCOA apps already have over 8 million registered users.

The "Urban Solutions" business line focuses on the transformation of car parks into so-called "urban hubs". With these hubs, APCOA opens up car parks for multifunctional use, providing a physical and digital infrastructure for the implementation of smart cities. For example, the car parks can be used as urban fulfilment centres for city logistics, warehousing, and distribution services. APCOA already offers 30 of such city logistics hubs and an additional 300 parcel collection locations - with a further 180 in the pipeline. In addition, the urban hubs already serve as hubs for modern mobility at more than 200 locations - including car hire, car and ride sharing, micro mobility and intermodal transport. By integrating new technologies and proximity services, APCOA can also use the car parks with its platform and extensive infrastructure network for other applications.

Together, these four business lines allow APCOA to realise the full potential of any parking spaces under its management. This benefits the owners of the parking spaces, anyone looking to utilise the services from APCOA and the general public.

StreetLink is a  national referral service, managed by St Mungo’s in partnership with Homeless Link and is a means by which members of the public can alert local authorities and homelessness outreach teams to people sleeping rough in their area, so that they can be located and connected with the local services available to help them off the streets.

APCOA has more than 1,000 colleagues who patrol streets and car parks across the UK as part of their everyday role, whether in parking enforcement or supporting local authorities in other ways and our officers in areas including Hillingdon, Swale and Maidstone have this year already helped connect more than  50 people struggling with homelessness with the support  they need.

Kim Challis, APCOA’s Regional Managing Director UK&I and Group ESG Director said: “Our team is really pleased to continue to assist StreetLink in providing support to those in most need, especially those who are identified as facing homelessness for the first time and are in vital need of support. It’s also one of the practical ways we demonstrate our commitment to social value and sustainability.”

But as well as highlighting the value of partnerships such as this one, it is equally important to make the public aware of the important work that StreetLink continue to do, especially in the particularly cold months ahead. For further information on how to help connect a vulnerable person with an outreach team in their area, please click here 

The EV Charging award, recognised APCOA’s involvement as charge point operators, mobility service providers and site and contract managers, often combining charging and parking payment services for customer convenience. Working hard with suppliers, most notably Compleo who supply the majority of our AC chargers, APCOA have set a goal of installing 100,000 on or off-street charge points in the UK by 2025, a target which clearly demonstrates our commitment to long-term sustainability.
 
The Smart Parking award recognises intelligent approaches to the planning and management of parking, delivering solutions for communities and evidencing ‘joined up’ or lateral thinking. APCOA’s nationwide Urban Hub strategy and more specifically, the first Hub opened in the Welsh town of Carmarthen in February impressed the judges with its sustainable credentials and provision of delivery lockers, EV car and bike charging facilities, bookable office pods, vending machines, free WiFi and designated parking bays.
 
Kim Challis, Regional Managing Director UK&I and Group ESG Director of APCOA comments ‘we are delighted to have won both of these very meaningful awards. Sustainability is central to our business strategy and being recognised as important players across both the EV and parking markets and for our commitment to customer convenience is really important to our business. Our thanks to Compleo and to all of our suppliers and colleagues who help deliver these creative projects and partnerships across a wide range of sectors including rail, healthcare, local government and aviation.’

For more information about all the awards presented on the night please click here.
 

APCOA’s winning ‘Best Project or Initiative’ entry outlined the implementation of cutting edge ANPR and ticketless car parking equipment at Aberdeen International, Glasgow International and Southampton International Airports, setting a new standard in the industry, addressing crucial aspects of convenience, security, customer satisfaction and sustainability and greatly impressing the judges. The project also delivered a self-service staff parking portal for Glasgow Airport, creating a frictionless partially automated system for around 3000 members of staff. 

Our Southampton International Airport Cruise programme offering dedicated pre bookable parking and meet and greet taxi services for cruise passengers, secured a well-deserved ‘Highly Commended’ in the same category.

The second win of the night went to contract Manager Gillian Stuart who was delighted to receive an ‘AGS Special Recognition Award’ as a result of a surprise nomination from a colleague. Gillian’s remarkable journey at Aberdeen International Airport spans nearly three decades and her commitment and unparalleled knowledge is evident to colleagues and clients who both respect and admire her. Her work ethic and the creation of a highly collaborative and supportive culture makes her a great ambassador for APCOA, Aberdeen Airport and AGS as a whole.

We would like to thank AGS for recognising the hard work of so many of our colleagues, of whom APCOA is very proud.

In close partnership with Network Rail, APCOA’s end-to-end service oversaw the supply of the 22KW eBox Professional units from Compleo (one of Europe’s leading full-service providers of EV charging technology), installation by Amco Giffen and the seamless linking of customer payment options via APCOA Connect. 

To support the additional power requirement, a new electrical substation has been supplied and installed to upgrade the existing supply at Llandudno.  

All 600 EV points across the Network Rail estate are backed up and supported by APCOA’s 24-hour UK-based customer support team, including a 24-hour inbound customer contact line and remote support and monitoring system. Customers can benefit from a truly supportive solution for the EV points, both for payment handling and queries, as well as technical and customer service support.

Kim Challis, Regional Managing Director UK&I and Group ESG Director of APCOA comments: “We are delighted to work closely with Network Rail and Compleo in order to deliver convenient, reliable charging and parking services to even more customers and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to sustainability.”

Hamish Kiernan, Commercial Director, Property at Network Rail concluded: “EV provision is central to our sustainability strategy, and with consumers increasingly embracing electric vehicles it’s vital we can offer this service to passengers and local residents. We look forward to expanding the EV charging solution to 7 more key locations by the end of January 2024 to further enhance the customer experience.”

Following the Business Summit, an evening event celebrated the achievements of the airport’s existing partners and SMEs. The Supplier Awards are an opportunity to honour those who best embody the airport’s vision for being a responsible business. APCOA is very proud to have been recognised with a prize for the work we have done in the area of social value, including radically changing our approach to recruitment in order to boost employment from Heathrow’s local communities.

Kim Challis, APCOA’s regional managing director UK&I and Group ESG Director, said “As a supplier to Heathrow for over 20 years, we have worked hard to align our approach to social value. Supporting the communities in which we jointly operate is an important part of that approach, and we are extremely proud to have received this award celebrating our achievement.”
 

Now in their 11th year, the awards recognise locally based organisations of all sizes, for their achievements and contributions to the West London community. 

The winners will be announced at the Award ceremony taking place at Twickenham Stadium in February 2024, but regardless of the outcome, we are delighted to have been shortlisted and would like to thank every colleague who has contributed towards the work that we do in these areas. 

As part of increasing, improving and managing EV infrastructure, the programme will include the introduction of new public charging points at off-street council property to help meet demand as more drivers switch to electric vehicles. Delivery of the council’s EV strategy will also contribute to environmental targets by reducing emissions.  

Cllr Jonathan Bianco, Hillingdon Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport, has said: "We are committed to creating a green and sustainable borough and will continue to consider effective and efficient climate change measures, that are within our means to adopt and finance, to deliver environmentally friendly changes for our residents. This strategy supports air quality improvements and will help drive the transition to zero carbon transportation." 

Increasing EV charging provision will also directly support local residents to move to more sustainable transport in response to the recent expansion of the London ULEZ boundary which now includes Hillingdon.

Kim Challis, regional managing director of APCOA UK & Ireland and ESG director of APCOA Group, said: “We are excited to support Hillingdon Council to develop their electric vehicle charging network. Powering more of the cars we drive with clean energy is essential to address both CO2 emissions and air pollution. Working with public sector clients to help develop and implement their EV charging infrastructure is an important contributor to environmental goals and a key driver for our business.”

The DPA is a national accreditation scheme launched in 2014 by Disabled Motoring UK with the aim of improving parking for disabled people and reducing abuse of disabled spaces.

The rigorous assessment and accreditation process (now managed by the British Parking Association), considers not only the physical aspects of the car park such as step free access, accessible payment machines and clear signage but also the management practices of the car park including enforcement of disabled bays and general staff awareness.

Kim Challis, APCOA Regional Managing Director UK&I and Group ESG Director comments, ‘APCOA are proud to work in partnership with Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in delivering car parking facilities which meet the high and exacting standards needed to secure the Disabled Parking Accreditation’.

APCOA provides car park management services across Europe and operates more than 1.8 million parking spaces across 13,000 sites in over 400 cities. With approximately €900 million in annual revenues, APCOA is a trusted partner for private and public real estate owners, providing outsourced services for parking centres, electric vehicle charging stations and urban hubs focused on sustainable mobility and logistics solutions for smart cities.

Funds managed by SVP have been a minority shareholder in APCOA since 2014. As part of this acquisition, SVP funds will acquire shares from current majority shareholder Centerbridge and other minority shareholders.

Philippe Op de Beeck, CEO of APCOA, said: "We thank Centerbridge for their support and are looking forward to our next chapter of growth under the ownership of SVP. We see SVP’s investment as a strong vote of confidence in APCOA's strategy and business model, the strength of our client relationships and the quality of the management team and broader employee base. With this backing, we will continue to focus on maximising the value of our clients’ assets, developing our digital services, and increasing our push into EV charging and inner-city sustainable mobility.”

John Brantl, Co-Head of SVP’s European Investment Team said: “We are excited to partner with the team at APCOA to unlock significant value, particularly around increasing automation, capitalizing on underutilised space and monetizing EV charging. Through organic growth, operational improvements and investing heavily in innovative technologies, we look forward to helping the APCOA team take the business to the next level.” 

Sefton, a coastal Metropolitan Borough in Merseyside with nearly 280,000 residents, will benefit from APCOA’s expertise in parking enforcement as well as in the expanding area of environmental enforcement.

APCOA’s Enforcement Officers will be multi-skilled, delivering both parking and environmental enforcement; working with the Council to enforce parking regulations, uphold local laws and byelaws, and the councils Public Space Protection Order, to issue penalties for antisocial behaviours such as dog fouling, and littering.

Cllr Paulette Lappin. Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulation and Compliance said: “The majority of people across the Borough already understand and adhere to the rules and regulations which keep our wonderful borough on the move, as well as safe and clean. But our partnership with APCOA will further encourage greater responsibility from motorists, visitors to our town centres and dog owners in order to keep Sefton’s parks, open spaces, and neighbourhoods clean and our roads and car parks free of antisocial or dangerous parking which affects us all '. 

Kim Challis, APCOA’s Regional Managing Director UK&I concludes: “APCOA is delighted to win this prestigious contract following a highly competitive tender process. It is clear recognition of our value, quality, and expertise as well as the ability to incorporate a range of services which, in partnership with Sefton Council, will benefit residents and visitors alike.”

This prestigious award reflects the impact of APCOA’s end-to-end EV service provision which includes:

• Upfront site identification and product selection
• Project Management of installation and testing and commissioning
• End to end lifecycle management of EV charge-point including maintenance
• Transparency - APCOA analytics showing utilisation and availability
• Marketing and community engagement
• Range of payment options including ScanEv, APCOA, contactless and RFID
• 24 x 7 x 365 national customer service centre.

To date, APCOA has deployed just under 1,000 EV chargers (Fast, Rapid and Ultra Rapids) across retail, hospitality, health, and rail sectors. Key clients already include Maidstone Borough Council, Network Rail, NHS Royal Stoke, Q Hotels, New River Retail and the London Borough of Bromley, as well as our first Urban Mobility Hub location in Carmarthen.  

Kim Challis, Regional Managing Director for APCOA UK & Ireland, says: “We are really delighted that APCOA’s EV strategy has received such positive recognition as we continue to deliver our plan to achieve the ambitious goal of installing 10,000 charge-points in the UK (on and off street) by 2025.”

Zeka, as she is known, works for APCOA as part of the parking services team with the London Borough of Lambeth. Since joining APCOA almost 20 years ago, she has excelled by consistently demonstrating professionalism and a commitment to public safety. As a Senior Civil Enforcement Officer, Zeka supervises a team of CEO’s, providing effective guidance, training, and support when needed. She has also actively contributed to Lambeth Council’s efforts to address Blue Badge fraud to ensure fair access to parking spaces for individuals with disabilities. 

As a valued and respected member of the team, it is wonderful that Zeka has been recognised in this way; not only is she a great ambassador for APCOA’s values, but she is also a fantastic representative for the parking industry as a whole. The standing ovation she received from everyone at the awards ceremony in London reflected that wider recognition. Very well done Zeka – we are extremely proud of you!

APCOA and Network Rail have worked in partnership with their supply chain; Compleo, one of Europe’s leading, full-service providers of EV charging technology, and AmcoGiffen, to install the 28 22kW eBOX Professional chargers which are now available to customers.

Chippenham station, which is centrally located in the town, now offers EV charging, to rail passengers alongside shoppers and visitors to the nearby Wiltshire College who can all make use of the new facilities.

The full end to end service is provided by APCOA, including a 24/7 UK based customer service centre provides remote operational support and manages customer enquiries. Payment is simple and secure using the EV auto pay facility provided via APCOA Connect, through which users can also pay for their parking.

Kim Challis, Regional Managing Director UK&I and Group ESG Director of APCOA comments, “sustainability and customer convenience are of vital importance to our all of our businesses, and we are delighted to work with Network Rail and Compleo to facilitate a straightforward and reliable EV and parking solution for local customers.”

Hamish Kiernan, Commercial Director, Property at Network Rail concluded: “Using our car parks and real estate to install and offer EV charging not only improves the experience for our customers and the wider community, it is also an integral part of our sustainability strategy and focus on reaching net-zero.”

Other stations that include charging points include Reading, Letchworth, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh and Welwyn Garden City.

The Awards celebrate innovative projects in active travel, congestion reduction, air quality improvement, EV infrastructure and charging, last-mile delivery, mobility, transport planning, fleet management, and road user charging.

We are delighted that the work of our own APCOA colleagues, our partners and clients has been recognised by a shortlisting in the following categories:

Congestion Reduction – Heathrow Terminal Drop Off Charge

EV Charging - APCOA

Smart Parking – APCOA Urban Mobility Hubs

Road User Charging - Heathrow Terminal Drop Off Charge

The winners will be announced on November 21^st 2023, but regardless of the outcome, we are very pleased to have made the final!

With space to accommodate up to 40 taxis, the facility in the New Street car park is the largest in Edinburgh city centre, offering a dedicated fleet of both hackney cab and private hire vehicles, including people carrier options for groups of up to eight, and standard TX taxis for customers with mobility impairments.

Agents are on standby throughout the station to take specific bookings at no extra cost, and passengers will receive real-time waiting updates if a vehicle isn’t available immediately.

Edinburgh Waverley’s station manager Chris King commented, ‘We’re delighted to have worked with APCOA to create a dedicated facility within the station area which will be great for passengers, particularly for those with reduced mobility, or those travelling with children, prams or luggage. It has also generated employment opportunities for local people and offers convenient onward travel options to those who need it, with the reassurance of either getting a taxi straight away or knowing for certain that one is on its way.’

The BPA awards recognise the leading examples of car park management, enforcement, design and team work. Our shortlisted entries are:

Back Office: APCOA Customer Service Centre

Front Line: Resmije Zeka, Senior Civil Enforcement Officer, APCOA

Parking Team of the Year: APCOA Lambeth

Car Park Renovation: APCOA Urban Hub at St Catherine’s, Carmarthen

EV Chargepoint Provider: APCOA

EV Champion of the Year: APCOA

The winners will be announced in November, but whatever happens we’re really proud of the great work being done by APCOA colleagues across the country.

Units have been supplied to APCOA’s on street Civil Enforcement Officer bases in Southwark and Lambeth,  Manchester Printworks car park, The Moor, Sheffield car park,  APCOA’s Uxbridge head Office, the Wigan Customer Service centre and at APCOA’s first Urban Mobility Hub opened earlier this year in the Welsh town of Carmarthen. These high footfall sites have been selected as the initial priority as defibrillators located here will be accessible to the highest numbers of both employees and members of the public.

Careful siting of these life saving units is important as statistics from The British Heart Foundation  reveal that the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest jumps from 6% to 74% if the casualty is in a shockable rhythm and a defibrillator is deployed within 3 minutes.

Crucially, the Zoll AED 3 units are equipped with visual and audio prompts which can guide the first aider through the process, ensuring that potentially lifesaving action can be taken quickly by the first person on the scene.

With ever-increasing financial pressure on public sector organisations, purchasing frameworks provide confidence that their approved suppliers meet service and commercial standards to deliver maximum value. The ESPO framework gives customers the flexibility to purchase anything from a single payment kiosk to a complete parking management solution, knowing that pre-agreed terms and conditions underpin all orders.

APCOA has been awarded a place on the framework under the following Lots:

Lot 1 – Pay & Display Parking Solutions

Lot 2 – Pay on Foot Parking Solutions

Lot 3 – Cashless Parking (Mobile) Solutions

ESPO allows all UK-based public sector organisations quick and efficient access to APCOA’s market-leading parking solutions. Our ongoing investment in technology and digital capability continues to deliver innovative ways to improve the parking experience for customers. 

Kim Challis, Regional Managing Director for APCOA UK&I said: “As a long-term approved supplier on ESPO’s ‘Parking Management Solutions’ framework, APCOA has plenty of experience in helping public sector organisations gain maximum benefit from the purchasing process, and I am really pleased we have been successful again.”

Across the UK, APCOA works with multiple public sector organisations including 31 local authorities, 13 NHS Trusts, and a range of providers in the education sector.

In addition to this we provide 460 22kW AC fast EV chargers across seven Network Rail stations: Welwyn Garden City, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Letchworth, Edinburgh and Reading. A planned 12 month roll out will increase the total number of fast EV charging points at Network Rail sites to 750 and APCOA’s customer focused capabilities mean that customers visiting these stations can pay for both their parking and EV charging in one transaction.

Through APCOA’s state of the art analytics software we continuously monitor on site availability and utilisation which will allow us to expand at these sites as required.

In Q2 2023 APCOA are looking to expand by a further 250 EV charge points, a combination of ultra rapids and fast EV charge-points including key locations such as Banstead, Bromley Civic Centre and Sheffield.

APCOA Regional Managing Director UK&I & Group ESG Director Kim Challis commented. ' As market leaders, we have a responsibility to drive sustainability targets within the industry and installing, managing, and analysing the impact of reliable charging points at these central locations makes a vital contribution to the environment and adds to the range of services that we offer to our customers across many sectors’.

APCOA has a zero-tolerance approach regarding violence and aggression against our colleagues and will always make every effort to see offenders prosecuted.  APCOA would also like to extend their sincere thanks to the members of the public who stopped to offer their support.

The London Borough of Bexley’s Cabinet Member for Places, Cllr Peter Craske added:

“This is a despicable act against two officers who work to keep Bexley’s roads and pavements safe by enforcing the law. No one should expect this kind of violent behaviour at work. We are fully behind APCOA and their desire to see these cowards prosecuted.”

With this in mind, APCOA is announcing the launch of the first of its Urban Mobility Hubs at St Catherine’s Walk in Carmarthen, scheduled to launch in early February. Sites in Manchester and Sheffield are next in line for the Urban Mobility Hub refurbishment with a further seven sites identified for transformation as part of APCOA’s wider ESG strategy which will also deliver a total of 10,000 on and off-street charge points in the UK by 2025 and sets a company target of Net Zero Carbon by 2040. 

By working with a unique network of partner organisations, APCOA Urban Mobility Hubs will be equipped to offer a range of services which are focused on the needs of the local community at each location. These will include EV bike and car charging points (fast and rapid), all facilitated by state-of-the-art ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology and linked to a variety of convenient payment options including autopay, pre-booking, APP payment and late-pay. APCOA’s Urban Hubs will also feature convenient, accessible vendor lockers which eliminate the need for emission-heavy multiple location courier drops. Other facilities include wi-fi enabled office pods and spaces for convenient remote working complete with vending machines for drinks and snacks. Enhanced and energy efficient LED lighting will illuminate a range of parking bays dedicated to specific user groups: blue badge holders, parent and child parking, motorcycles, EV and allocated pre-bookable Premium bays for added convenience. APCOA is working with partners to design and install roof-based PV systems that will power each site and colleagues who will maximise last mile delivery hub potential and introduce further opportunities at all future locations.

Customised additional services reflecting the needs of the local community will be on offer in each Hub, with car rental, emissions-based tariffs or screens with live data on local train, bus, taxi and events information for example. There are also opportunities for local businesses to utilise the existing infrastructure and footfall to their advantage by working with APCOA to create pop up shops and kiosks or to use parking bays for other innovative services. Interested businesses can find out more by contacting marketinguk(at)apcoa.com.

Urban Mobility Hubs are undoubtedly the future of car parks and a convenient and practical centre point for communities committed to sustainability. With more than 1600 car parks across the UK, there is enormous potential for APCOA to make a difference by working with landlords and partner organisations to create a network of Urban Mobility Hubs which support sustainability goals and greatly benefit local communities.

To find out more, please contact us at: ukpress(at)apcoa.com

Valet customers can now park in designated  ‘London City Airport Official Valet’ bays which are just a short walk from the terminal for the utmost in ease and convenience. Customers are met by APCOA personnel on arrival and their vehicle is returned, in person, to the same allocated bays on departure. 

Whether for a business traveller seeking to streamline their travel plans, or a leisure user wanting a hassle-free solution to bookend their holiday, Valet Meet & Greet, using APCOA’s state of the art pre booking technology, is a convenient addition to the options on offer at London City Airport.

Visit:  https://parking.londoncityairport.com/readmore/45  for more information

APCOA is an agile and ever-changing business, adapting to the needs of both clients and customers and we are very proud of the innovative solutions our talented IT professionals develop for our clients. We invest heavily to ensure that our operational infrastructure achieves robust standards and levels of certification so we can be confident that it will deliver 24/7 support for the products and services we provide. APCOA prides itself on delivering technological firsts and have developed new technologies to deal with the requirements of some of the biggest airports on earth as well the specific needs of much smaller sites. 

Our talented IT and DevOps professionals also play a crucial role in developing and delivering on our substantial sustainability commitments which is why we are keen to recognise and celebrate talent in this area. 

The winner, Paddy Donnelly is an expert in cloud engineering and automation recognised for his technical capabilities and willingness to help others,  

Kim Challis, regional managing director for APCOA UK & Ireland and Group ESG Director concludes, 'sponsoring this award demonstrates APCOA’s recognition of the contribution that talented DevOps individuals can make to forward-thinking organisations. Our sincere congratulations to Paddy on his win, and also to Fin Maguire, ESO who was Highly Commended'. 

AutoPay is just one of APCOA Connect’s suite of cashless payment solutions which make life simpler for customers. Another is LatePay - a post-parking payment option for any customer (registered or not), who fails to pay on the day they park at one of these locations. Users can pay online up to 24 hours later and thus avoid enforcement action.

Our digital car park solutions do far more than just manage payment of parking spaces. Advanced technology and infinitely flexible solutions provide an increasingly hassle-free experience for customers.

Anjna Patel, Principal Manager, Parking Section at Sandwell Council, said about the APCOA team: “They were extremely professional and worked very hard rising to all the challenges that were thrown their way. They worked long hours and demonstrated great dedication and commitment... together we are a fantastic team!”  

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director, Kim Challis, responded: “It’s always lovely to hear positive feedback from clients as I know how hard all my APCOA colleagues work. We really appreciate the recognition by Sandwell Council and I’m so proud of everyone who was involved in this event.”

The Queen has been the UK & Commonwealth’s Head of State for over 70 years, with the country having just celebrated her Platinum Jubilee this summer. Her lifetime commitment to the UK and Commonwealth is something to be admired and her death will be felt by many millions of people around the world.

Our deepest condolences go to the Royal Family and to everyone affected by her death.

APCOA managed the complex design and build of the new facility and now operates the car park on behalf of the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust as part of a 20-year agreement.

The combination of the pandemic and Brexit created extra manpower and logistical challenges, but APCOA worked closely with the client and key supply chain partners to manage these, delivering the project on time and within budget. The car park opened in October 2021 and the energy centre will be fully commissioned by the end of this year.

Thanks to Compleo Charging Solutions UK who have sponsored the award.

Whilst on duty, Charlie was called to the children’s ward of the hospital to assist with a patient who had already been behaving erratically earlier in the day and whose actions had escalated into aggression. On arrival Charlie was informed that the child’s relative was with the patient and following his own dynamic risk assessment, he entered the room whereupon the child removed his shoe and threw it at Charlie, striking him in the head. Calmly continuing a verbal de-escalation, he managed to open a dialogue with both the patient and his family member and maintain it throughout erratic peaks and troughs of mood, one of which resulted in the patient kicking his relative squarely in the face. Whilst the relative received medical treatment, Charlie assessed that it would not be safe for other hospital staff, patients or visitors if the child left the room, but that continuity would also be important in the care of this particular young person, so he decided that he would stay with the patient for as long as necessary. The incident continued for over two hours during which time the child continued to assault Charlie and members of staff and was, on occasion, therapeutically supported by Charlie using appropriate techniques.

Kim Challis, Regional Managing Director, APCOA UK & Ireland says:

“We are all extremely proud of Charlie. His professional, caring and unselfish actions undoubtedly minimised the impact of this upsetting incident on other hospital users and helped our client to deal with a volatile young patient both sympathetically and decisively’.

Rob Jubb, Security manager at St Mary's Hospital Isle of Wight comments,

“Charlie is a real credit to our hospital and it’s fantastic to see him recognised with this respected award from ACS Pacesetters.’

The ACS Pacesetters membership is made up of contract security guarding companies who are in the top 15% benchmarking and achievement levels set by the Security Industry Authority’s Approved Contractor Scheme.

APCOA’s security and parking credentials in the UK healthcare sector are second to none in the industry. We currently provide security and parking services for 18 healthcare clients, with numbers growing all the time. We have developed a suite of products and services, providing intelligent, cost-effective solutions for the healthcare market. To find out more, see www.apcoa.co.uk or contact our press office: UKPress@apcoa.com

The solution is already live at Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly and Reading stations, and is being extended to Edinburgh Waverley, Welwyn Garden City and Birmingham New Street station car parks during July. The system has also been installed in disabled parking bays, so the service is also available to Blue Badge holders. All EV charging points are also visible on Zap Map.

Kim Challis, APCOA’s Regional Managing Director for UK & Ireland said: “We’re really pleased to have developed this solution in conjunction with Compleo to enable charging authentication and easy payment for Network Rail’s EV customers. This solution also provides a significant step towards our sustainability strategy.”

Compleo’s UK Managing Director, Valentin Scheltow added: “We are delighted to partner with APCOA - Europe’s leading parking and mobility provider. I know the combined power of our two organisations working together will provide other innovative solutions.”

Jo Lewington, Network Rail’s Chief Environment & Sustainability Officer, said: “As part of our wider Environmental Sustainability Strategy, we’re working towards delivering a low-emission railway and aiming to reach net-zero emissions by 2045 in Scotland and by 2050 in the rest of Britain.

“Supporting the move to electric vehicles is a key part of that. We hope that by providing affordable, efficient and reliable charging points we can encourage more electric vehicles onto the road and help promote healthier air in and around our stations.”

A core strand of APCOA’s ESG strategy is to rapidly increase the provision of EV charging capability across its car park estate and this new solution for Network Rail is a valuable contribution.

As leading car park operator in Europe, APCOA currently manages more than 1400 car parks across the UK and will incorporate Gemini’s operations in 100+ locations.

Park and Control focuses on managing parking in city and town centre locations on private ground. The company provides a range of expertise and technologies to manage these issues, alleviating the daily pressure of managing the car parks for the clients.  

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director UK&I, Kim Challis, said:

“Gemini Parking Solutions is an award-winning business in this sector and will be a great fit with APCOA – we look forward to welcoming our new colleagues.

APCOA and Gemini have both actively supported improvements targeted by the new Parking Code and we will continue to strengthen robust policies and procedures to ensure all car park users are treated fairly, with respect and consideration.

We’re also excited to develop more innovative solutions in this area and to maximise opportunities in agreement with our clients, through the provision of our Urban Hub strategy where we will deliver via a range of community-focused products and services to create more sustainable urban life.”

Having invested heavily in developing its own innovative cloud-based parking technology over recent years which now operates in 5 countries, APCOA has been able to use its end-to-end parking management system, Parkway, to deliver a genuinely bespoke solution which is tailored to the varying needs of the university’s end users.

Highlights include:

Parking Management and Enforcement: Over 6,000 parking spaces at the university are now managed via APCOA’s Parkway ANPR solution which is fully integrated into its digital platform.

Digital Platform: A flexible digital platform which provides a range of customer centric solutions including pre-book and a self-service portal for use by staff and students. This has enabled a unique approach to charging, with account linked payments based on car park locations and permit tariffs aligned to actual car park visits made by drivers using daily charging methodology. Maximum spend limit thresholds reduce the amount users spend on their weekly parking. The digital platform also manages concessions for Blue Badge and Residents and provides whitelist solutions which supports third party stakeholder parking permissions.

Wide Range of Convenient Payment Options: Including the provision of APCOA Connect which provides AutoPay and LatePay features at all car parks plus the deployment of intelligent smart cashless kiosks at the Sports & Wellness Hub and the Arts Centre, two of the busiest uses of parking on site. We will also be providing APCOA ScanPay.

APCOA Analytics: Provision of multiple different dashboards which give the University real-time access to information and analytics, allowing them to make informed decisions.

Kim Challis, APCOA’s Regional MD for UK & Ireland said: “It’s been great to work closely with the University of Warwick, which employs nearly 7,000 people, teaches almost 30,000 students and is consistently ranked among the UK’s top 10 universities. We’ve been pleased to deliver this complex project in a short timescale and help them achieve their aims. It illustrates how APCOA’s end-to-end parking management system, Parkway, can easily be configured and tailored to meet specific client needs.

“It’s also really important for us to develop sustainable solutions and Parkway’s ticketless and cashless technology does that – reducing the use of energy and paper and lowering the carbon footprint by significantly reducing the number of vehicle visits required for maintenance or cash collection.”

Parvez Islam, Director of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Warwick said: “This project has revolutionised the way we manage the University parking arrangements. The new system and technology provide much needed improvements, supporting our sustainable transport strategy and modal shift objectives. The flexibility from APCOA to meet our needs and requirements will help generate income and support our sustainability targets to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.”

George Saxon, Head of Transport Systems and Operations at the University of Warwick said: “The APCOA team have been great to work with, providing a full package of expertise and on-site skills to successfully guide the project from conception to completion in a short time window that will maximise our strategic and operational benefits.”

Kim Challis, currently Regional Managing Director UK & Ireland is taking on the additional appointment of Group Director ESG and will lead this Group effort based on her longstanding operational experience in this field.

“The increasing urbanization, digitalization and new mobility trends are changing the urban ecosystem. With our digital and physical infrastructure, our innovative operational models, we can make a substantial contribution to a sustainable urban development. We have set ourselves ambitious targets that reflect our commitment to our colleagues, customers, clients and suppliers, our communities, and the environment we work in”, explains Kim Challis.

Core measurements of the program include a clear path towards climate neutrality, a defined social agenda for the employees and the communities we are operating in, as well as an elaborate governance structure that specifies how we operate. All measures will follow the UN Global Compact Agreement which the company has signed.

On its path to climate neutrality, the company is switching to 100% renewable energy where possible, accompanied by activities to further reduce energy consumption in car parks. To help drive this initiative fast forward, APCOA has partnered with First Climate. Also participating in the EV100 initiative, APCOA is exchanging its corporate car fleet to full electric vehicles and is currently preparing to substantially extend its EV charging infrastructure by adding tens of thousands of charging points over the next few years in its car parks.

Parking activities are at the center of mobility as either a starting or an end point of a journey with a car, bus, motorbike, bicycle, or any other form of individually owned or shared transportation. APCOA is dedicated to contributing to making this ecosystem as sustainable as possible.

“We strive every day to ensure we are the trusted sustainable partner of choice for all our clients to improve their contribution to a better environment. We know that the best way to achieve these goals is through a responsible approach to business, and we are proud to be innovating towards a brighter future", mentions Philippe Op de Beeck.

APCOA is very proud of the innovative solutions we create for our clients, many of which are developed by our talented IT professionals. We invest to ensure our IT infrastructure achieves robust standards and levels of certification so we can be confident it will deliver 24/7 support for the products and services we provide.

During the COVID pandemic, technology has supported a structural shift in our mode of operation, with a combination of secure remote and office working delivering more flexibility. A combined customer service and control centre is providing a fully integrated facility for APCOA’s on- and off-street parking operations across the UK and Ireland, supported by new telephony and digital services including web chat and a customer service platform.

APCOA’s UK&I director of innovation & technology, Stephen Rickett, explains: “We have focused on how we could become even more efficient through the further utilisation of digital technology, cloud services and automation.

“As a result, APCOA has continued to roll out new solutions, such as our flexible reporting suite APCOA Analytics, and our fully comprehensive ANPR based parking management system, Parkway, as well as further enhancing our digital capability”.

The pandemic has also accelerated change across the parking industry, with higher levels of public support for contactless parking and payment options for example. APCOA is transforming car park locations into Urban Hubs, providing the physical and digital infrastructure for mobility, logistics, electric vehicle charging, and technology-based services. Strategic partners gain access to APCOA’s physical and digital infrastructure and communities benefit from an increased range of sustainable neighbourhood services and facilities. This integrated approach requires a high level of IT capability and innovation, the demand for which will undoubtedly increase in the future.

Kim Challis, regional managing director for APCOA UK & Ireland, concludes:

“We are extremely aware of the importance of IT in both the day to day running of our business and the development of complex technology solutions to support our clients and our future business strategy.

“We’ve invested in a research and development centre which is encouraging young IT professionals to focus on innovative, market-leading software solutions and products for our business.

“Sponsoring this award demonstrates APCOA’s recognition of the contribution that talented IT individuals can make to forward-thinking organisations.

“Very many congratulations to Johnny Gillespie on his win, and also to Tanya Matthews who was Highly Commended.”

A Park Mark is awarded to parking facilities that pass a rigorous risk assessment conducted by the police and the British Parking Association.  The assessments include management and maintenance of the facility, ensuring that there are appropriate levels of surveillance, lighting, signage and cleanliness.  These criteria are known to reduce the opportunity for crime and create a safer environment for the motorist and their vehicle.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3ikUpDI

There are no changes to parking charges, but payment options are enhanced with the introduction of APCOA’s digital platform – enabling pre-booking and online Season Ticket purchasing – as well as the APCOA Connect app, a convenient way to pay.

Season tickets previously issued by NCP will be honoured.

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director UK&I, Kim Challis said: “APCOA is delighted to take on the management and operation of this car park, which is so essential to the businesses and visitors to the city centre and the Arndale and Printworks area in Manchester. The APCOA team has worked closely with our client to make all the changes necessary to re-open the car park as quickly as possible and we’re pleased to have been able to do this to coincide with the relaxation of some of the COVID restrictions.

“This is also further evidence of APCOA’s commitment and investment in the North of England, following the establishment of our Customer Service Centre in Wigan and our Research & Development Centre in Newcastle.”

The Printworks car park, in the heart of Manchester, is owned by one of the funds managed by Amsterdam-based Orange Investment Managers. Richard Kuiper, Asset Manager, said: “We are pleased with the partnership with APCOA who have enabled the Printworks car park to re-open. APCOA brings a wealth of services which will directly benefit our customers including digital and multi-channel booking platforms providing pre-book, autopay and flexible season tickets to reflect the modern user environment, coupled with their mobility hub solution which will deliver easy access lockers, EV charging and more.”

For more information about parking at Printworks, see apcoa.co.uk

Media contact UKPress(at)apcoa.com

Josh is a Security Supervisor based at our client Hull University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, for whom APCOA provides security and car parking management at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.

The ACS Pacesetters award relates to an incident where Josh responded to a fire alarm activation in an occupied ward on the 5th floor of Hull Royal Infirmary’s 13-storey tower block. Aware of the potential risk to life, Josh immediately alerted the security team and rushed to the scene, where he found a bin engulfed in flames immediately in front of the ward entrance door. Realising that anyone attempting to leave the ward via this door would be met by a wall of flame and hot gases and seeing further danger from oxygen and clinical lines close by, Josh grabbed the appropriate fire extinguisher and dealt with the fire himself before the fire brigade arrived on the scene.

However, not stopping there, Josh then set about investigating how the fire had begun and identified a patient who may have been responsible for setting the fire. He established through CCTV footage that the male was indeed the fire starter and detained him until the Police arrived on site to make an arrest. The individual was later charged with ‘arson with attempt to harm’.

Kim Challis, Regional Managing Director, APCOA UK & Ireland says:

“We are all extremely proud of Josh. His swift and brave actions during this incident prevented a major incident and likely a full hospital evacuation for our client, together with potential injury or worse.

“He also managed to apprehend the perpetrator, and he thoroughly deserves this prestigious award by ACS Pacesetters.”

Chris Long, Chief Executive of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“Josh is a real credit to our hospital and it’s fantastic to see him recognised for his courage in tackling the fire and then apprehending the person who started it.

“I’m sure Josh will consider himself to have just been doing his job, but the consequences of these events could have been incredibly serious for the hospital and potentially tragic for the people within it.

“Josh showed immense bravery and selflessness, and is truly deserving of this award.”

The ACS Pacesetters membership is made up of contract security guarding companies who are in the top 15% benchmarking and achievement levels set by the Security Industry Authority’s Approved Contractor Scheme.

You may recognise Josh as a member of the security team from ‘A&E: After Dark’, series 2 of which has been recently airing on Channel 5. The programme follows night shifts in the emergency department at Hull Royal Infirmary, where the security team, as well as the local police force, are integral to keeping patients and staff safe – and are regularly featured alongside the medical and nursing staff.

APCOA’s security and parking credentials in the UK healthcare sector are second to none in the industry. We currently provide security and parking services for 18 healthcare clients, with numbers growing all the time. We have developed a suite of products and services, providing intelligent, cost-effective solutions for the healthcare market. To find out more, see www.apcoa.co.uk or contact our press office: UKPress(at)apcoa.com.

Please click here to read the article.

The team springing into action to protect hospital staff and patients as the UK’s first cases of Covid-19 were confirmed has been thanked for their immense contribution, one year on. 

Security staff erected and maintained a cordon around Ward 7 to protect all staff and patients at Castle Hill Hospital as the first two patients with the virus were brought to Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham from York in January 2020. 

Now, the Security Manager at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has thanked the team for their efforts, not just in the early days but throughout all three waves of the pandemic so far. 

He said: “The security team are a true force multiplier. Only a handful are directly employed by the trust with most contract staff, provided by APCOA.

“However, ever since that very first day, the security team stepped up and responded immediately, drafting in additional resource at the drop of a hat, providing a security cordon, facilitating a buffer cordon around Ward 7. 

“It proved to be just one example of the type of ‘can-do’ attitude the team has.” 

As well as dealing with security relating to the pandemic, the security team has also mobilised a new contract seamlessly, bringing improvements and enhanced security provision at both Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill overnight. 

They have responded to issues from road blocks to diversions and cordons around both sites to accommodate everything from the new vaccination centre to ongoing construction work. 

They’ve also been quick to respond to distraught patients and relatives, respond to fire alarm and provide reassurance to members of the public at all times of the day and night. 

He said: “The team have been working to ensure value for money while updating aging security infrastructure, working with staff in our Capital and Estates teams to enhance security technology such as CCTV and access control at both hospitals while keeping the daily tasks running smoothly.” 

He said the team had worked an extra 25 per cent of their hours last month alone, not counting the early starts and late finishes which had not been claimed as overtime. 

In a direct message to his team, he said: “This team has many of the same faces from when we started on a road of transformation three years ago, but the work ethos and positive outputs is immeasurably improved over that time, despite the challenges and changing landscape.

“You are all a credit to the Estates, Facilities and Development Directorate, the trust, and the NHS. Thank you.”

Here at APCOA, we appreciate this positive client feedback and reiterate the thanks to our colleagues working on this valued contract; we’re really proud of you!

APCOA is proud to have worked with StreetLink during 2020 to support their essential work. StreetLink, the national referral service managed by St Mungo’s in partnership with Homeless Link, is the main service the public can use to connect people rough sleeping to local support. By using StreetLink, members of the public can alert local authorities and homelessness outreach teams to people sleeping rough in their area, so that they can be located and connected with the local services available to help them off the streets.

APCOA has more than 1,000 colleagues who patrol streets and car parks across the UK as part of their jobs, whether it be in parking enforcement or supporting local authorities in other ways. In London, if they come across someone sleeping rough, they use a mobile app to provide a direct alert to StreetLink, who can then connect those people with vital local services as swiftly as possible. During the COVID-19 lockdown, this interaction has also enabled local authorities and street outreach services to help people to access emergency accommodation.

Kim Challis, APCOA’s Regional Managing Director UK & Ireland said: “Our team is really pleased to assist StreetLink to provide support to those in most need, especially those who are identified as facing homelessness for the first time and are in vital need of support. It’s also one of the practical ways we demonstrate our commitment to social value and sustainability.”

The programme is managed by APCOA’s Local Government Services division, whose Director, Tracey Munford, launched the partnership with StreetLink in London. They are now in the process of extending this service with as many as possible of the 27 local authority partners APCOA work closely with across the UK.

In 2020, StreetLink put 13,000 people in touch with support to help them end their rough sleeping. Its work has never been so important, with the on-going pandemic causing an added level of anxiety and disruption for this vulnerable group of society, and APCOA will continue to provide active assistance.

APCOA is pleased to announce that Sajini Agrawal has been appointed as a statutory Director of APCOA Parking in the UK & Ireland.  Sajini joined APCOA as finance director in March 2019, having held senior leadership positions in various industries and organisations, including the parking sector. She holds an MBA in finance, and has more than 20 years’ experience in the field.

Kim Challis, Regional MD APCOA UK & Ireland, said “I’m delighted that Sajini’s contribution to APCOA has been recognised in this way.  She is an invaluable member of my Executive team and I know will continue to make a significant contribution to our success both in the UK and Ireland.

“Sajini’s appointment is further evidence of our progress in recent years in building a more diverse leadership group.  I’m proud that my talented Executive team across UK & Ireland now comprises of a more balanced mix of gender, background, beliefs and experiences with 5 of the top positions on the UK&I board now held by women.  Diversity starts at the top of an organisation and by having an inclusive Executive Board we can bring different ideas, perspectives and unique experiences to the decision making; this inclusive culture drives improved performance, open dialogue and higher levels of creativity & innovation – all key attributes for a business to continue to succeed in today’s environment.”

Press Contact: For more information, please contact ukpress(at)apcoa.com

APCOA has worked in close partnership with Lambeth for the past four years, providing high quality parking enforcement services.  In 2019 APCOA  adapted and expanded the service to introduce environmental enforcement and has partnered with Lambeth on key initiatives to help improve the local environment, such as tackling idling vehicles and Blue Badge misuse. 

Of course, this year has been exceptional, with the COVID-19 pandemic providing all local authorities with so many unforeseen challenges.  APCOA is proud that the response from all our colleagues working for Lambeth was flexible, positive and proactive, and they supported the Council to deliver a very wide range of services outside their normal working roles. This support included activities such as:

• Patrolling town centres and markets advising on social distancing
• Delivering Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to care homes, businesses, and clinics
• Working at Cemeteries, Recycling centres and COVID testing sites
• Aiding food banks and preparing food packages
• Delivering residents’ permits and vouchers to local people who could not leave their homes or premises
• Working with the Council’s Parks team, advising the public and enforcing social distancing requirements
• Delivering office equipment to Lambeth council staff to support them working from home

Receiving such a long contract extension from Lambeth Council is recognition of the effort that APCOA puts in to delivering outstanding levels of expertise and customer service.

Neil Fenton, Assistant Director Parking, Street Management & Commercial Neighbourhoods at London Borough of Lambeth, said: 

“The support provided by APCOA this year in particular has been phenomenal, but they have also helped to make a significant improvement to the performance of parking and environmental services as a whole over the past four years. 

“The team is versatile and supported by high quality management who are continually looking for new ways to evolve their service offering.

“Lambeth looks forward to working in partnership with APCOA for another four years, to explore new initiatives and to continue to provide a gold standard service to residents and visitors to the borough.”

Filming part of an episode for the new BBC tv series, the production team moved into the Millgate multi-storey car park at Grand Arcade.  APCOA Parking was pleased to work with Top Gear to make the car park available in the evening for filming to take place.

As the episode hasn’t yet been released, we’re not allowed to give away too many details, but we can reveal that it involved the three presenters – Paddy McGuinness, Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff and Chris Harris – carrying out speed trials in the multi-storey car park.  The APCOA team on site had worked with customers to make sure other vehicles were removed from the area first!

Who knows, after editing it may end up being a bit of a “blink and you miss it” moment, but for some of us in APCOA Parking’s world (and for this Freddie fan in particular!), it was a night out of the ordinary. The new series of Top Gear airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 8pm on Sunday 4th October. 

APCOA has a number of car parks across the UK which are suitable for use as film/tv locations – please contact our Press office with any enquiries.

Press Contact:  ukpress(at)apcoa.com

The report, compiled by uSwitch, analysed the 200 most-used car parks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to identify those car parks where vehicles are most likely to be safe.  APCOA currently operates 19 of those car parks and is pleased to see 6 of them appear in the top 10 and none in the bottom 40.

Regional Managing Director for APCOA UK & Ireland, Kim Challis, comments: “I believe this achievement is the result of a strong safety and security ethos across APCOA for customers and employees.  It has been a key focus for us in recent years and I am proud to see the effort and commitment we have put into safety recognised in this way.  APCOA will continue to strive to improve safety and security at all the sites we manage.”

Supported by clients, many of the car parks APCOA operates have achieved the Park Mark® Safer Parking Award. The Park Mark® Safer Parking Scheme is a Police Crime Prevention Initiative and is aimed at reducing both crime and the fear of crime in parking facilities. The award is managed by the British Parking Association (BPA) and involves a rigorous  annual assessment by specially trained police assessors.

Stuttgart, 9 October 2019 – Europe’s leading parking operator, APCOA PARKING (APCOA), has completed the acquisition of the business of Nationwide Controlled Parking Services (NCPS), one of the biggest car park operators in Ireland, including subsidiaries PEA and Mobile Research Solutions, t/a parkbytext. NCPS manages over 1,100 car parks with a total number of over 100,000 car park spaces. Following approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) the acquisition was legally completed on 8 August 2019.

The combined operation resulting from the acquisition sees APCOA’s business in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland double in size to cover more than 1,750 site locations and it will enable them to service all counties in both countries.

 “We view this as a very exciting development for APCOA and NCPS as the companies complement each other well.  This acquisition combines the strengths of the businesses across all sectors, markets and geographies and brings together two strong management teams with complementary skills and abilities”, says Philippe Op De Beeck, CEO of APCOA PARKING Group.

In addition, with the financial backing of the APCOA group, the combined operation in Ireland benefits from increased opportunities for further investment in the business and technologies. With the joined expertise and customer base across both countries, the acquisition makes APCOA a leading mobile parking operator providing convenient, cashless and cost-effective payment options to nearly 200,000 parking customers.

During the integration process day-to-day operations continue as at present. APCOA and NCPS will continue to focus on providing the highest levels of customer service.

APCOA’s existing business in Northern Ireland operated a number of sites including two city centre multi storey car parks in Belfast city centre. The NCPS subsidiary PEA brings a further c. 80 locations, primarily in the greater Belfast area with key sites such as the iconic Titanic Quarter, numerous NHS hospitals and Trusts and the Odyssey Event Centre. 

APCOA sees this investment as strengthening their position in Ireland and providing a platform for increased growth. “APCOA and NCPS both view this as a real opportunity to broaden the strength of our services to our clients in Ireland and to improve our capabilities by bringing together the best knowledge, systems and operational experience and practice”, says Op De Beeck. 

Already in the beginning of May APCOA bought Onepark A/S in Denmark one of the country’s leading parking operators with 170 employees operating about 600 parking sites with 50,500 parking spaces. With OnePark, APCOA was able to expand the number of contracts by 540 and is now the market leader in Denmark. The two companies are already fully integrated and have moved into a new Head Office.

In the UK APCOA, has committed to switching its 300+ mopeds, cars, vans and buses to electric by 2030. APCOA PARKING will also install charging infrastructure over the same timeframe, to encourage EV uptake by its customers and 5,000 employees.

APCOA together with its clients are focused on upgrading all its London based car parks to include EV charging. The first site to go live is Bryanston Street Car Park near Oxford Circus.

Kim Challis, Regional MD, (UK & Ireland) said:

“We believe it is our responsibility to develop our company and the services we provide to our clients in a responsible and sustainable way. The UK will lead the way and share experiences with other APCOA countries, with the aim of mainstreaming electro-mobility across the APCOA PARKING Group’s entire international operations by 2030.

"We have already re-engineered our travel policy to incentivise our staff to migrate to electric vehicles and, in addition, we are working with our clients to install electric charging points across the country. To date we have installed c.50 charging points at our locations across the South of England, with a further 40 planned by end of 2019. Furthermore, we are implementing emissions-based pricing structures, aimed at rewarding customers using electric/hybrid vehicles.”

The Climate Group’s full press release can be viewed here

Through a competitive tendering process, APCOA’s innovative and customer focussed approach secured this Contract from well-entrenched incumbents OCS who had delivered this service since 2008. 

The new contract, which comes into effect on the 1st April 2019, will see APCOA's Local Government Enforcement sector working in partnership with the Council to bring about a number of improvements and innovative solutions.

APCOA will be providing a range of services to the Council including Off-Street Parking Enforcement, car park management; inclusive of the Waterfront & Riverside Undercroft car parks, cash collection services and the maintenance of Pay and Display machines. 

Throughout the five-year term, which has the option to extend for a further two twelve month periods, APCOA will draw down on its broad range of parking and mobility management expertise, delivering high quality service for Stafford Borough Council, it’s residents and visitors, whilst generating best value for taxpayers through a range of improvements and service initiatives.

APCOA’s Managing Director Kim Challis said:“The award of this contract, following a highly competitive commercial tender, is a clear demonstration of the quality and value for money offered by APCOA in the UK. The new contract will see Stafford Borough Council and APCOA working in partnership to deliver a step-change in the delivery of these services for the benefit of residents and visitors alike.” 

Under the new contract, APCOA will provide a flexible enforcement regime that is intelligence led and will help increase compliance, whilst reducing congestion within the Borough.

The contract will include on and off-street parking enforcement; provide additional support for special events and supplementary services as required. 

APCOA are an established name in delivering integrated parking enforcement solutions to Local Authorities for over 35 years and we are currently delivering parking solutions to over 20 Local Authorities.

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director Kim Challis said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by Calderdale Council to be their parking partner for the next 4 years. Our approach to this contract will be focused on the delivery of an efficient, innovative quality service, in line with the expectations of the Council, its residents and visitors.”

The new 5-year contract will see APCOA working with Lincolnshire County Council to provide this full back office service to the Counties parking enforcement contract which is also operated by APCOA Parking Services.

To assist APCOA in providing this service APCOA are working with Swindon based Parking Enforcement specialists Chipside who are well known throughout the parking industry.

In a similar vein to the Parking Enforcement framework agreement, the new agreement will also give the option to Districts within County to also join the framework agreement.

Mick Phoenix, Network Management Commissioner, for Lincolnshire County Council commented, "This is the start of a Unique partnership and we are all looking forward to the development of a successful long-term relationship"

The new contract, which comes into effect on 17 January 2019, will see APCOA's Local Government Enforcement sector working in partnership with the Authorities to bring a number of improvements and Innovative solutions.

The contract covers a range of services including On and Off-Street Parking Enforcement, the roll out of a cashless payment solution, car park management, cash collection and maintenance of Pay and Display machines. APCOA Parking(UK) will be working in partnership with Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions Limited whom will be delivering a comprehensive enforcement IT solution for this contract.

Throughout the five-year term, which has the option to extend for a further two years, APCOA will draw down on its existing enforcement blueprint to provide continuity and best practice for East Hertfordshire District Council and its partner Authorities, while generating best value for taxpayers through a range of improvements and service initiatives throughout the Contract.

Gary Jones, executive member for parking, said: “We are pleased to welcome APCOA on board as our new contractor for parking management across East Herts; we look forward to working together."

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director Kim Challis said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by East Hertfordshire Partnership to be their parking partner for the next 5 years. Our approach to this contract will be focused on the implementation of new innovative technologies and the delivery of an efficient, quality service, in line with the expectations of the Councils, its residents and visitors.” 

The contract will commence on the 20th September 2018 and APCOA will be responsible for providing a comprehensive car park management service, new technology & systems which will integrate to provide a seamless digital parking environment that will improve customer satisfaction and customer convenience within the car parks. 

APCOA, in partnership with other suppliers, will deliver a range of improvements to SWR’s car parks. These include new payment methods, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) bay sensors and the cashless parking payment services via RingGo. However, not all of the technologies will be deployed at each of SWR’s car parks 

Peter Williams, SWR’s Commercial Director said “Station parking is important to many of our customers. The new technologies will make it easier for our customers to find spaces as we make available real-time car park occupancy, and to pay for their parking."

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director Kim Challis said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by SWR to be their parking partner for the next 4 years. Our approach to this contract will be focused on the implementation of new innovative technologies and the delivery of a quality service which drives an improved enhanced customer experience for SWR customers."

With 7000 applications and renewals a year, the portal will free up considerable time to allow hospital staff to get on with their important work to help patients.

This new service comes as APCOA and the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust announce the continuation of their partnership with a new three year contract that will commence on 1st August 2017.

The contract, which can eventually be extended by up to seven years, covers over 1700 spaces across a range of car parks at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, including a number of 20-minute drop-off bays.

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director for UK & Ireland Kim Challis said:

“The new virtual permit application system will bring the issuing of staff permits into the digital age, and should make the whole process simple and convenient for all.”

Andrew Foster, Transport and Car Parking Services Manager, for University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, said:

“We are looking forward to working closely with our car parking management partners APCOA.

“The setting up of the new Portal service will greatly improve the customer experience and management of our permit system.”

APCOA and the Isle of Wight NHS Trust commence new contract

APCOA and the Isle of Wight NHS Trust have announced the commencement of a new contract for parking services and security at St Mary’s Hospital today.

The partnership is set to make parking at St Mary’s easier with upgrades and refurbishments to parking equipment, including a virtual permit system, planned for 2017. These improvements will streamline the processes on site and enhance parking experiences for visitors, staff, and patients.

The five year contract, which has the option to be extended by an additional two years, will see APCOA manage services across a total of 1,297 spaces, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The agreement marks APCOA’s re-entry into the Isle of Wight market, being the first contract in the area since 2009, when APCOA last worked with the hospital.

Bringing much-needed upgrades to the car parking arrangements

Commenting on the new contract, APCOA’s Regional Managing Director for UK & Ireland Kim Challis said:

“The Isle of Wight is a wonderful place to work, and APCOA is thrilled to be operating on the island again. We are looking forward to strengthening our relationship with the Trust and St Mary’s Hospital over the next five years.”

APCOA is an experienced parking and security provider across the UK, with a network of 17 sites across the healthcare sector. This means we are able to provide the Trust with a bespoke and innovative solution that fits the needs of the hospital, their patients, and visitors.”

Jon Burwell, Executive Director for Strategy and Planning for Isle of Wight NHS Trust, said:

"The partnership with APCOA will provide an excellent opportunity to bring much needed upgrades to the car parking arrangements at St. Mary’s making it safer for all patients, visitors and staff to the site. This will bring car parking up to similar standards to that found at other public sector sites with modern technology used to improve the user experience.”

APCOA and Chiltern Railways start partnership

Chiltern Railways have awarded APCOA Parking a five year contract for parking at their 27 stations across the country.

The contract, which went live 8^th May, covers a range of services including maintenance, revenue enforcement and collection, security, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology. With over 9,600 car parking spaces across the railway’s estate, this change of nationwide service provider is set to streamline the journeys of a huge number of travellers.

Working together to innovate

APCOA are an established name in the rail parking sector, managing car parks across the country on behalf of Network Rail, GWR, and TransPennine Express. With the addition of Chiltern Railways, APCOA’s management portfolio will expand to reach 183 stations up and down the country.

APCOA and Chiltern Railways will be working together over the contract term to plan and implement a number of innovations across the railway’s network of car parks, with a specific focus on customer service and convenience. Technology such as online and mobile payment systems, the elimination of paper tickets, and electric vehicle charging are all areas the companies are keen to explore.

Creating a seamless travel experience

Speaking on the new contract, APCOA’s Regional Managing Director for UK & Ireland Kim Challis said:

“As a railway that is renowned for customer service and innovation, APCOA is delighted to be working with Chiltern Railways to provide a comprehensive parking solution across their car parking estate.

APCOA is uniquely placed to provide a bespoke and innovative solution to support Chiltern in making sure their parking services compliment the high levels of performance and service they are famous for.”

Peter Williams, Interim Commercial Director for Chiltern Railways, said:

“We are committed to providing high levels of customer service and look forward to working with APCOA to maintain these standards and enhance services in the future.  The partnership will drive the introduction of new technologies and deliver an increasingly seamless travel experience for those travelling with Chiltern Railways.”

APCOA’s 530 space Park & Depart facility at Aberdeen International Airport won the Best New Car Park accolade. The design and build of the car park required APCOA to overcome a number of challenges to obtain planning permission, specifically regarding bird control, landscaping, draining an a lighting plan to minimise the car park’s impact on aircraft during take-off and landing. LED lighting has been used to minimise energy usage.

APCOA employees picked up two awards – Charlene Charles for The Front Line Award and Yoofi Halm for the Young Parking Professional Award.

Kim Challis, Regional Managing Director of APCOA UK & Ireland, said:

“We’re thrilled to have won so many awards at this year’s British Parking Awards.

Aberdeen International Airport’s Park & Depart facility was the first end-to-end design and build project completed by APCOA, so to have won an award for it is a great testament to our ability to deliver such projects.

I’m particularly proud of our members of staff who won awards for their hard work – Charlene Charles in our national customer service centre and Yoofi Halm who was named as the Young Parking Professional of the year. They are hardworking members of our team, and my congratulations go to them.”

An independent panel judged APCOA to be the supplier most committed to continual improvement, based on the company’s development of an enhanced approach to the car park control room and network operations.

The award recognised APCOA’s innovative ‘One Network’ solution to replace multiple control rooms and manned kiosks across the car parking estate, with one single control room which is manned 24 hours a day. This streamlining of control room services has enabled APCOA to more efficiently manage control and communications within the car parks, delivering a better service for airport users.

Kim Challis, APCOA’s Regional Managing Director for the UK & Ireland, said:

“We are delighted to have won this prestigious award from Heathrow. APCOA employs over 350 staff at Heathrow, who ensure that airport users who drive to Heathrow enjoy a first class and seamless experience when using the car parks.

“We strive to identify innovative solutions for our clients that deliver an improved service experience, so we’re particularly pleased to have won this award for ‘Improving Every Day’.”