New electronic doorway to our National Parks
A partnership is developing a web portal as a new doorway into all of Britain's National Parks. The nine National Park Authorities in England, including, the Broads Authority, are working together to create a single home for their information and services on the Internet, which will complement existing access channels.
When it is developed the web portal will also be able to support the three National Parks in Wales, the two in Scotland, and any new National Parks that are created in the future.
The new web portal is expected to be open for people to use in September. Developed using Government guidelines and standards, it will provide access for those with impaired vision and hearing. It will incorporate web technologies including a search engine, online maps and geographic information, a payment facility, and personal log-on facilities for users.
The project is part of a wider programme to modernise the way the National Park Authorities provide services to the public. It is supported by funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Defra, the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Other key partners include VisitBritain and ANPA, the Association of National Park Authorities.
The Project Manager for the National Park Authorities, Rebecca Huddleston, said: "The nine National Park Authorities in England do the same work, and offer the same sorts of services, so it makes sense for us to have all these available in one place. The Internet enables us to do this. We are developing something that will benefit those who want to visit and enjoy the National Parks, or want to learn about them. We are also addressing the needs of local community groups and the many thousands of people that live in the national parks.
“Whether you are planning a holiday, purchasing goods or services, researching a school project, or want to apply for planning permission, the web portal will be able to help you."
The National Park Authorities are developing the web portal with a solutions provider, Anite Public Sector. Dave Clarke of Anite said:
"We are pleased to have been chosen by the National Park Authorities to work with them on this project. We feel this partnership is a good example of how public sector organisations can come together to use the Internet to offer joined-up services to their customers. The strong partnership that is in place results in shared costs which offer substantial savings over individual procurements."
12/07/2004
