Bury St Edmunds car park under new management with new restrictions

A car park in Bury St Edmunds which was run by a council is under new management with new restrictions.

The Robert Boby Retail Park car park, which is privately owned, is now managed by APCOA Parking, having previously been run by West Suffolk Council on a lease arrangement that ended on December 24.

The car park now offers two hours maximum stay free parking for customers of the businesses at the retail park - Halfords and TK Maxx.

A sign says customers 'must not overstay the allowed two hours parking period or return within two hours of exiting the car park' and conditions 'apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week'.

Previously, the car park offered a maximum stay of three hours with charges of 20 pence for one hour £2.20 for two hours and £3 for three hours on Monday and Wednesday to Saturday 8am to 6pm, and Tuesday 8am to 3pm, according to Parkopedia.

There was a flat rate of £1 on Monday and Wednesday to Saturday, 6pm to 8am, and was free outside these hours.

One resident, who contacted Suffolk News about the change, said: "I used this car park a lot to pop to bank or dentist as an hour of parking at 20p was good value and meant you could just quickly get in and out.

"Now unless you are visiting Halfords or TK Maxx you can't park there. So more expensive parking choice only."

A West Suffolk Council spokesman said: "The Robert Boby Way car park is privately owned and the council managed it on a lease arrangement which has now ended."

He added that it was not the council's choice to surrender the lease.

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