Leeds
Bradford Airport features a variety of parking options, both onsite and off.
Some are simple short or long stay installations, while others offer more
services – valeting, for example.
Specifying
a car park for Leeds Bradford Airport requires a calculation to be made. This
calculation is based on a number of factors, all of which combine to represent
a value judgement for the car park user.
For
example, Leeds Bradford parking done actually inside the boundaries of the
airport property allows the park user to diminish the time it takes to get from
his or her car to his or her departure terminal or gate; and also to shrink the
time it takes to get from plane to car on the return leg of his or her journey.
The same car park user may also cut down on security concerns by having his or
her vehicle parked within the boundaries of an area that is essentially given
over to 24 hour operation. As planes come and go at all times of the day and
night, there is theoretically never a time during which the airport is unoccupied.
Security
concerns may be paramount for anyone using Leeds Bradford parking options –
whether they are on site or not. A long stay car park known to serve an airport
is a clear target for thieves. Where the owner may be assumed to be in another
country, a potential wrongdoer has a tempting window of opportunity open to him
or to her. So the car’s owner needs to be satisfied that his or her vehicle is
adequately protected during her or his absence.
There
are two common ways to do this: CCTV and manned stations. CCTV is a deterrent,
which has some success. It does not, however, guarantee a safeguard against the
prospect of car thievery because it cannot, in itself, catch a thief. CCTV
evidence can be and is used in court to prosecute thieves when they have been
caught: but if a thief is confident enough this may not be enough weight to
make him or her think twice.
Monitored
CCTV is a different story. Here, the thief is made aware not only that he or
she is on film; but that he or she is being watched right now. This is a much more alarming prospect as it carries with
it the imputation that the authorities will be dispatched while the thief is
still present at the scene of the crime.
A
manned car park presents the biggest deterrent of all. Actual human presence,
around the clock, is always the most effective deterrent against a thief. On
the airport site, as noted, the constant presence of people makes it less
likely that thieves will feel comfortable going about their work. Off site, it
may be necessary to specify manned security at all times to deliver the level
of protection potential customers feel that they require.
The
other consideration for an offsite car park is the distance between it and the
airport terminal; and the method by which the car park customer is encouraged
to cover that distance. There is, after all, no point in parking somewhere a
mile away from Leeds Bradford airport if you then have to walk that mile with
all your bags. Transport service provision, reliable and frequent is essential.
Howard Grossman is
a facilities analyst. He is working on a report about leeds bradford parking,
with recommendations for future development.