Safety improvements of £250,000 have been completed at two motorway service stations in Northamptonshire – which will help to prevent crime and free up police officers to spend more time on the beat in their local communities.
The office of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone has jointly funded work with Roadchef at both their northbound and southbound service stations at Northampton (between junctions 15a and 16) and Watford Gap.
The work includes the addition of an enhanced Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system, raising the alert if a vehicle is stolen or linked to crime and making the venue a hostile place for criminals.
CCTV coverage has been extended at the site, and improvements have also been made to fencing around the perimeter and lighting. This work will make the service stations more visible, secure and help to deter thefts from HGVs and other vehicles.
A Crimestoppers campaign was also launched, promoting key safety messages on how to secure vehicles and prevent them from being targeted by criminals. This messaging was aimed at HGV and car drivers and featured on leaflets and digital advertising boards displayed at each of the service stations.
Funding for the work was secured after the Commissioner’s office successfully applied for grants from the previous government’s Safer Streets scheme, with the Commissioner’s office and Roadchef then match funding the grant to complete the project. The proposals were developed based on crime rates in the area and following consultation with stakeholders and residents.
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone said: “Strong partnerships and crime prevention are at the heart of my Safe and Sound plan to make Northamptonshire a safer place to live, work and visit.
“We need to tackle criminal behaviour by preventing it from happening in the first place. This also needs to be done through a multi-agency approach.
“We have worked closely with Roadchef, Northamptonshire Police and West Northamptonshire Council to deliver these safety improvements. This will make the venues more secure and help to deter criminal behaviour. This will then free up our police officers to spend more time being visible and accessible in their local communities.”
Darrell Wade, Chief Commercial Officer at Roadchef, said: “Our collaboration to enhance the HGV parking facilities at Northampton and Watford Gap represents a significant step in our ongoing commitment to improve security and safety for the HGV driver community.
“These upgrades are vital in creating safer, more secure environments for drivers as they rest and recuperate. We are grateful to the Office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for their continued support in enabling these essential improvements.”
