IN a bid to reduce the number of people attempting to take their own life from a city centre car park, new security fencing will be installed over the summer.

Work to install fencing on each floor of High Chelmer car park, Chelmsford, is expected to start in August after the city council engaged a specialist consultant following concerns about the number of people who had fallen from the town centre car park.

A man who fell from the car park on June 11 was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition.

The emergency services were most recently called to the multi-storey car park on June 12 after reports of concern for a woman’s safety.

It was in June 2017 that the city council pledged to investigate its safety measures after a woman tragically died falling from a multistorey car park.

The council has already invested heavily in CCTV to help improve the way these types of incidents are managed.

But with the worrying number of incidents continuing, the council has been forced to take further action to cut down the number of incidents.

A spokesperson for Chelmsford City Council said: “We take the safety of our car parks very seriously and have engaged a specialist consultant to look at this location and draw up a specification for security fencing.

“Work on this is expected to start on site in August.

“Additional CCTV has also been installed which gives full coverage, even in low light conditions, and helps emergency services to provide a timely intervention to people in crisis.

“Signs around the car park also display the Samaritans’ number.

“If you are not feeling yourself, are going through a bad time, or experiencing depression or anxiety, please talk to someone – whether it is a friend or family member, your GP or a helpline.”

Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.

This number is free to call from both landlines and mobiles and does not show up on phone bills.

Samaritans of Chelmsford and Mid-Essex are based at 12 Critchett Terrace, Primrose Hill, Chelmsford.