A Suffolk seaside resort is to lose the free parking spaces in its town centre car parks, which will disappear along with hundreds of other free off-road places.

At the moment all East Suffolk Council-run car parks are free because of the coronavirus outbreak, but once the crisis is over new parking measures will come into force.

These include new charges but also the removal of some free parking.

In Felixstowe, the 30-minute free slots – much-used by people making quick shopping trips or visits to the library – in both the Crescent and Highfield Road car parks will be axed.

Elsewhere in the town, Garrison Lane, Manor Terrace and Landguard car parks will no longer be free and will be getting pay-and-display machines, while Brackenbury Fort, Clifflands, Convalescent Hill, Felixstowe Pier and Manor Terrace will have a handful of free 30-minute spaces introduced.

Felixstowe town and district councillor Mike Deacon said: “I think the overall scheme is for the better across the district, but I am concerned at the lack of free parking in the town centre and I would have preferred to have seen that retained and I think free after 3pm parking would also be very beneficial to our town centre shops.

“I am also particularly concerned at the loss of Garrison Lane as a free car park as this was a great help for those people living in those streets between Sea Road and Langer Road, where there are terrible parking problems.”

East Suffolk Council said the removal of the 30-minute parking bays at Crescent and Highfield were due to there being free parking opportunities nearby, such as on-street limited waiting regulations or unregulated kerb-space and/or car parks provided by others.

The 30-minute free spots in outlying car parks – 34 across the district – were to reflect the importance of being able to ‘pop in’ to town centres, walk a dog or go for a jog without a disproportionate charge.

The new policies create a simpler charging structure which reflects the evidence that people want longer trips for shopping and socialising.

The council said it removes the disparity and confusion caused by more than 50 price levels in the current system. The changes would see the introduction of three to four basic ‘ticket’ types.