40 YEARS OF THE BPA BPA – I w maturing ith age
ANDREW BENNETT GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORGANISATION THAT IS NOW THE VOICE OF PARKING IN THE UK
f time travel were a reality, not science fi ction, what would a contemporary parking manager make of things if he or she were to set the controls of their time capsule for exactly four decades ago?
Although the world has changed beyond
recognition since 1970, the year the British Parking Associated (BPA) was incorporated, aspects of parking might remain familiar in 2010. In 1970 cash was very much king, so people could
only dream of recent technological developments, with the ability to pay by phone or by swiping a credit card. Although fully automated car parks existed, they never became really popular in the UK at that time. Similarly, although the infl uence of the BPA has
grown considerably over the decades, there remains a familiar ring to the themes of its seminars. Proving that, even then, the BPA acted as
something of a think-tank on parking policy, in 1971 the delegates – 77 members spanning all sectors of the industry – were invited to hear about parking in urban areas. In 1979 the presentation theme was ‘Vandalism in car parks – the solution’. It all sounds very familiar. Today, like then, such events are highlights in the
UK parking calendar. More than 300 delegates attended an autumn seminar in conjunction with Traff ex in Brighton in 1973.
Financial crisis T e 1970s was blighted by fi nancial crises; however, the BPA avoided one of its own in its formative years when it was presented with a considerable bill for unpaid VAT. Tony Sedgwick, the treasurer at the time, in negotiations with the Inland Revenue, argued that the bill should be
24 SEPTEMBER 2010 reduced, as
the main membership benefi t was receiving a newsletter (which later became Parking News) – as
publications were exempt from VAT. With the VAT issue resolved, Sedgwick reorganised the Association’s fi nances. Another fi gure who made his mark on the
association was the late Ernest Davies, a key character in the founding of the BPA. Originally a journalist, Ernest went on to become
BPA secretary – as well as seminar organiser and general factotum – running the association from his Newman Street offi ce. Davies became BPA president in 1977, holding
the offi ce until 1980 when he was elected to honorary membership. His awareness of political
Even then, the BPA acted as something of a think-tank on parking policy
and planning trends, together with his contacts, proved extremely valuable. He was also the founder publisher
of Traffi c Engineering and Control and was the journal’s editor May 1960 until January 1976. A less well known fact about Davies, was that this MP and junior minister played a signifi cant role in promoting Anglo-Yugoslav relations, which included meeting with Marshal Tito during his diplomatic career and chairing the British Yugoslav Society.
A parking pioneer Another signifi cant fi gure in the BPA’s history is Ron Frampton, an engineer known for his pioneering work on the UK’s fi rst park and ride scheme in Oxford, who was elected to represent Oxford in
www.britishparking.co.uk C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
Ian Betts
Tony Sedgwick
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