Emergency Help on hand in four city centre car parks

Brighton council has announced a new 24-hour service offering emergency help is now in place using existing technology and services based in four council-owned city centre car parks.

Anyone needing help, not just people using the carparks, can go into 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 – Black Lion St, Brighton BN1 1ND
Regency Square – Regency Square, Brighton BN1 2GG
London Road – Providence Pl, Brighton BN1 4GE
Trafalgar Street – Blackman St, Brighton BN1 4DZ

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. 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. This service is available 24 hours a day and might be considered for anyone who is being harassed, alarmed or distressed by people targeting them in the street.

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.”

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 who has become intoxicated, distressed or injured during their night out

This year reported figures about LGBT Hate Crime were up across the board, something the Home Office says is largely due to improved reporting and recording methods. According to Stonewall UK, only one out of five hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people is reported to police.