Member guides Be prepared With legislative changes afoot for both the private and public sectors, we are running a short series on preparing for the transformations that lie ahead. In this issue, Steve Clark, the BPAs director of operations and business development, offers advice to ready yourself for the Parking Code of Practice 1. Read the Code in full If you dont currently have a complaints policy, establish one. then read it again and read it for a third time, to be sure you have understood the salient points for your situation. The Code can be found at bit.ly/PNMar22Code 7. Tariff pursuit 2. Listen, ask, share The BPA has been running a series of webinars to help members be ready: you can listen again to these at britishparking.co.uk/ past-webinars The recent AOS Conference also dealt with preparing for the new Code: see britishparking.co.uk/BPA-AOS-Conference Keep a look out for future discussions at britishparking.co.uk/ webinars Remember that the panel discussions during these sessions are safe spaces for you to ask questions of peers and those involved with the process. 3. In the loop The BPAs AOS e-zines and Parking News will also communicate key changes and provide more information. The AOS team is offering Individual Operator Briefings, where you can ask one of the team queries specific to your situation and they will support you as best they can. For more information, contact AOS@britishparking.co.uk 4. Sort your signage Identify locations where you may wish to apply to pursue the tariff instead of a parking charge (listen again to the AOS Conference session on this at britishparking.co.uk/BPAAOS-Conference). 8. Be data ready The clauses in the Code make requirements for data to be collated on appeals and complaints (see bit.ly/PNMay22Com). Make sure you are able to collect the information, and talk to your suppliers about how this might be achieved. 9. Provisions and phrases The annexes to the Code contain provisions for exempt vehicles (see bit.ly/PNMay22Exm) and words/phrases that must not be used (see bit.ly/PNMay22Word). Ensure you have protocols in place and your paperwork reflects these requirements. 10. Professional standards Make you sure that you are aware of the training your staff might need under the new Code (see bit.ly/PNMay22Train). Establish training records that can be easily reviewed and updated. Conduct an audit of your existing signage at each location and determine what might need to be replaced to meet the Codes requirements (see bit.ly/PNMay22Signs). 5. Its good to talk Communicate regularly with your landowner clients to keep them up to date with developments. Where possible, upgrade their landowner agreements to the new template detailed in the Code (see bit.ly/PNMay22LO and bit.ly/PNMay22LOT). 6. Complaints policy Develop your complaints policy so that it meets the requirements of the new Parking Code of Practice (see bit.ly/PNMay22Com). Remember, this is just an overall guide; you need to familiarise yourself with the Code and how it applies to the car parks you manage. If you wish to book an Individual Operator Briefing for queries you have relating to your situation, contact the AOS team at AOS@britishparking.co.uk The BPAs online Resource Library and Communities section also offer further support, including soon-tobe-published FAQs: go to britishparking.co.uk 32 britishparking.co.uk PN May 2022 pp32-33 Code Guide.indd 32 21/04/2022 11:39