Parking places

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It is often said that free parking is required to support local businesses, however, this is a common misconception and East Suffolk Means Business provides information and services that support local businesses. Car parking is just one component of travel planning that relates only to travel by car. The council’s Economic Development and Regeneration team commissioned People & Places to understand the trends and travel for individual town centres in East Suffolk. The surveys revealed not everyone visiting town centres travels to them by car, and many walk, cycle or use public transport. Transport professionals speak of mobility, and car travel is one part of a mobility system that includes all modes of travel e.g. walking, cycling, bus, train and car.

The council provides many off-street parking places across the district, so those choosing to drive may park appropriately once at their destination. Parking places are provided in rural and coastal locations as well as towns, so visitors arriving by car can access Suffolk’s beautiful countryside and coastline, and all the retail, leisure and services provided by its towns.

The most convenient ways to find these parking places are via Find my nearest and, where parking fees apply, the council’s RingGo parking service. The RingGo app allows drivers to locate a parking place before starting their journey, receive navigation to it, pay for their parking session and even extend it should they need to. Find out more about registering and using the service on the RingGo how it works page.

Organisations that provide parking for their staff and visitors might find RingGo’s corporate service of interest. Find out more on the RingGo corporate how it works page. This service replaces the many special arrangements previously in place via agreements of different types.

Many of the parking places have public toilets in or adjacent to them, and some have small glass and textile recycling points.

Local authority off-street parking places are managed under relevant sections of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and in East Suffolk, patrolled and enforced where necessary via Civil Parking Enforcement powers provided by Statutory Instrument 2020 No. 14 - The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions Designation Order 2020.

The rules and regulations for the council’s off-street parking places are provided by the Off-street Parking Places Order 2020 and its notice of variation.

Further information on the development of ticket options and fee structure:

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