A new 24-hour service offering emergency help is now in place in four council-owned city centre car parks.
Anyone needing help can go up to one of the car parks and use the intercoms to get in touch with the council’s traffic control team, who can secure the building and get help to them.
The four multi-storey car parks offering the service are:
- The Lanes
- Regency Square
- London Road
- Trafalgar Street
All four are monitored via CCTV and an intercom system by an operator based in the Traffic Control Centre available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Press for assistance
Anyone arriving at the car park is visible on CCTV, located at all entry and exit points and at pay machines.
Each location also has an intercom button to talk to an operator.
Using the ‘Press for Assistance’ button mounted on the wall will put them directly in touch with an operator in the Traffic Control Centre.
Depending on the help required, the operator can call emergency services, a mobile security team or get in touch with a friend.
If needed, doors to the car park can be remotely controlled from the Traffic Control Centre and can be set to ‘locked’ in a matter of seconds.
On hand 24 hours a day
Councillor Alan Robins, chair of the Tourism, Equality, Communities & Culture committee, said:
“While we hope no-one has the need to use this service, there will always be times when people find themselves in situations where they need help.
“Our traffic control team are on hand 24 hours a day to help with problems in the car parks and we’re very happy to extend that offer to anyone finding themselves in a tricky situation.
“We can get help to them and can lock the doors to keep people safe until that help arrives. Or we can get in touch with a friend if that’s all that’s needed.
“I’d like to thank our traffic control team who came up with the idea.”
Safe Space
The service is an addition to the YMCA Safe Space open on Friday and Saturday nights in St Paul’s Church in West Street to support anyone distressed or injured during a night out.