Upfront Navigating the challenge Andrew Pester reflects on a game-changing Conference that shows that parking is well-equipped to embrace opportunity Last months Annual Conference in London was a huge success, and I would like to thank everyone who attended including speakers, exhibitors and our sponsors all of whom helped to make it such an engaging and gamechanging event. Attendance at the Conference was impressive and very much in line with all of our major events this year. We continue to listen and work hard to deliver engaging and relevant content that our members value. A common theme of the feedback on the day was that it was a great opportunity to look outside of our sector to inform, innovate and make valuable connections that help navigate the challenges and exciting opportunities arising from change. Were already looking forward to next year and our 50th anniversary, and encourage you to save the date for our 2020 Conference on Tuesday 13 October its going to be very special! We have been pleased to see the Transport Bill progress in Scotland, with MSPs voting for it to become law. It will address a number of issues, including: provision for low-emission zones; prohibiting the parking of vehicles on pavements; and introducing keeper liability into parking contracts between drivers and landowners on private land, bringing some much-needed consistency with England and Wales. Our commitment to raising standards has never been higher, and while we fully support a single code of practice for the private parking sector, our own Code of Practice is reviewed and improved continuously through consultation with key stakeholders, including consumer groups and government. I am pleased that a new, updated version will be published soon. While the media often portray the sector in a negative light, the reality is that effective parking management is a vital and necessary part of everyday life and our members work hard to deliver a service that is valued and recognised. When the media shine a light on the sector, it is our role to demonstrate the value and benefits that a well-managed parking service can bring, and what challenges there might be without this. We are currently part way through a major piece of consumer research that will help inform us about what the public really think of our sector. The aim is to better understand how we are perceived and what changes we can make to improve our communications. Our members deliver real value that is not always well understood, and insights gained from our research will enable us to tell our story in a more engaging way one that will make us all feel proud to work in such a vibrant sector. The reality is that effective parking management is a vital and necessary part of everyday life A fresh approach to notice processing and debt recovery from an award-winning business We engage with your customers to ensure we get results Our team of exceptional advisors all have a firm friendly and helpful approach to collection, and are accredited to WAMITAB Level 3 NVQ 3 Dedicated to being the best in the market for: - Customer satisfaction - Notice processing - Debt collection - Compliance To find out more about our services, call us now on 01932 918090 Or visit www.zzps.co.uk Andrew Pester Chief executive officer of the British Parking Association andrew.p@britishparking.co.uk britishparking.co.uk 3 PN Nov19 pp02-03 Upfront.indd 3 24/10/2019 12:10