Security boost for town car parks

Improved security measures are being introduced at a town centre car park on Teesside as part of a £250,000 revamp.

Extra CCTV cameras, designated help points, and better lights and fencing will help protect motorists using Stockton Street car park in Hartlepool.

The car park serves the town's busy Middleton Grange Shopping Centre.

The site, owned by Marks and Spencer, is the fifth town centre car park to be improved by Hartlepool Borough Council in recent years.

Phil Hepburn, Hartlepool Council's car parking manager, said: "We have a rolling programme of improvements to ensure that all of our town centre car parks are safe and welcoming.

"The Middleton Grange Shopping Centre is one of the town's biggest assets. It receives millions of visits every year and its success is vital for a healthy local economy."

As well as the additional safety measures, other improvements include larger bays for disabled drivers, designated pedestrian routes and a formal taxi pick-up and drop-off point.