NCP launches combined electric and disabled parking bays in Manchester

An new NCP car park in Salford, Greater Manchester, has been built with a pair of dedicated electric-car charging bays exclusively reserved for Blue Badge motorists.

The move came after a suggestion from Helen Dolphin MBE and Libbie Bilyard, the founders of the People's Parking accreditation scheme.

Dolphin commented: “Within the accreditation, we look at provision for electric-vehicle charging. I'm only too aware of the increasing growth of electric vehicles and although I don’t have an electric vehicle myself, I knew that as a disabled person I'd struggle to get out of my car in a standard-sized bay.

"I therefore wanted to encourage car-park operators to consider the needs of electric-vehicle owners who are disabled and I’m absolutely delighted that NCP have installed a dual bay in their new car park”.

Sean Fenney, NCP's head of operations for Manchester, added: “When we have a new-build car park, it’s always a great opportunity to be able to make the space really work for all our customers. We were really pleased to be able to add our first dual electric charging bay for our disabled customers, as we expect that to be a very real need in the near future.”

The Stanley Street car park in Salford has met all the requirements for People's Parking accreditation, which highlights car parks that cater to disabled people, parents, commuters, cyclists, motorcyclists, electric-vehicle drivers and owners of wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) and camper vans.

People's Parking also requires facilities to have good signage and pedestrian routes, as well as being sufficiently lit, satisfactorily clean and well managed. A list of car parks in the UK that meet its standards can be viewed at www.peoplesparking.org.