First impressions really do count, and safety, security and a well-managed facility are key concerns, so it's vital to create an environment in car parks where customers feel at ease. At the same time, shoppers need to feel they can trust the car park operator to operate fair and reasonable parking policies.

As a largely unregulated part of the industry, controlled parking on private land has gained a reputation in some quarters as being underhand, and those who undertake such activity of being unscrupulous. The real picture is that there are many efficient, helpful operators working on private land and unregulated car parks today.

Rogues that operate unreasonably are to be driven out of the market thanks to an initiative introduced from 1 October 2007. Since this date the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will only release vehicle registration information electronically to those companies which are members of an Accredited Trade Association, of which the British Parking Association (BPA) is the first. At the same time, the BPA has launched its own Approved Operator Scheme (AOS), backed by the Code of Practice for Parking Enforcement on Private Land and Unregulated Car Parks. This will provide a level of 'legitimacy' and self-regulation to unregulated parking enforcement. Over time it is hoped that landowners wishing to protect their property will only contract with 'approved operators' and those that act fairly and in accordance with a recognised code of practice.

Continued BPA membership is dependent on operators in this sector signing up to the Code of Practice and joining the AOS. Compliance with the code will be monitored by the BPA and members will be required to submit evidence of compliance annually, highlighting any issues and identifying proposed solutions. A dedicated compliance officer, supported by a team of development managers, will conduct regular and random testing via on-site inspections to ensure that the code's principles are being maintained. Where members' operations are found wanting, remedial action will be a requirement. If this does not happen and failure to comply with the code persists, a member will be suspended, and possibly expelled, from the BPA.

Since the launch of the AOS last October, much interest has been generated from the off-street industry. The leading operators have all expressed a positive attitude, and are now either fully signed up or going through the process necessary to achieve compliance with the scheme. An operator on joining the scheme called it 'a very wise practice for the industry' and said that any new members should be vetted extremely thoroughly to retain the unique quality and elite characteristics of AOS membership.

To date, over 40 operators have achieved compliance and are fully 'signed up', with 23 applications being processed. Tesco was the first main supermarket chain to join the scheme and it is expected others will follow shortly.

The size of an operation is not relevant to membership - fees are specifically structured to suit large or very small operators and plans are also being developed to extend the membership, on an associate level, to landowners.

The aim is to make landowners aware of the pitfalls of employing 'cowboy' operators and to only allow those reputable operators that have achieved AOS status to tender for their contracts. In this way it will become more and more difficult for the rogue operators to get new business, giving them the financial incentive to 'toe the line' by adhering to the Code.

The goals of the AOS and the Code of Practice are to raise standards through self-regulation within the industry, and to help distinguish the reputable from the rogue companies. Ensuring that only companies that are members of the scheme are employed to manage your parking facilities can demonstrate that you are ensuring fair and reasonable parking policies in your car parks.

l Keith Banbury is chief executive of the British Parking Association

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