NCP Manchester Limited (NML) was formed in 1999 as a joint venture between NCP and Manchester City Council. This initiative represented an exciting opportunity to integrate and update the city's parking facilities through the injection of private finance.

NCP invested £13 million in the city's car park infrastructure and a £3 million state-of-the-art control centre was developed. By combining car park monitoring with street surveillance, crime in Manchester city centre has been cut by 30%.

Improved lighting, installation of CCTV, redecoration of the car parks, and an increased number of uniformed patrollers, helps to make customers feel safer and better cared for by our staff. Payment options are now more flexible with new equipment enabling credit and debit card transactions, as well as providing facilities for season tickets, hotel and theatre parking and residential contracts. Additional disabled bays and new 'parent and child' facilities have been provided throughout the car parks.

The Variable Message Signage (VMS) on the inner relief route and its arterial approaches helps reduce traffic congestion by directing vehicles to available car park spaces and away from potential traffic problems.

As well as the joint venture representing an opportunity to change the way parking services are delivered, it also serves as a Gateway to the city and integrates with the city's transport sytems. NML works with Manchester to:

• Support publicity campaigns that provide informed choice of transport modes for residents and visitors
  
• Support the Manchester Metroshuttle free bus service
  
• Support and sponsor the City Centre Management Company

Two major new car park sites have been opened in 2005 which will increase the parking capacity in required areas, there are two more car parks scheduled to be opened in early 2006.