A £1million upgrade programme for St Mary’s and St John’s car parks will begin next week, starting from the 20 October 2025.
These upgrades are an important contribution to Colchester’s wider regeneration. Ensuring that essential infrastructure is in place ahead of transformative projects like the St Botolph’s Quarter.
The first phase of the upgrade will take approximately 19 weeks to complete, with a planned pause over the Christmas period to minimise disruption during the festive season. This phase will include structural repairs and waterproofing to extend the life of both car parks, improving the entrance area at St John’s car park, and updating the payment machines at St Mary’s car park.
In early 2026, St John’s Car Park will close for three weeks to allow for this phase to be completed. These improvements will be completed ahead of the closure of Britannia Car Park in February 2026, which marks the beginning of the £10 million St Botolph’s Quarter regeneration.
Funding has been allocated for further phased upgrades, including:
- Widening parking bays to better accommodate modern vehicles
- Replacing fire doors at St John’s car park
- Modernising payment systems, allowing customers to pay after parking
Colchester also plans to improve lighting, CCTV and to refurbish car park decorations once funding is secured.
Cllr David King, Leader of Colchester City Council, said: “With wider cars on the road, many of our city centre parking bays are underused simply because they’re too narrow. By widening bays and improving access, we’re making these spaces more usable and futureproofing our infrastructure ahead of major regeneration works.”
The Council also recognises that many residents feel there isn’t enough parking in the city centre. Colchester City Council commissioned independent parking specialists, Parking Perspectives, to assess availability. Their analysis shows that there are typically between 500 and 1,000 free spaces in the city centre at any given time.
Cllr King added “To help residents and visitors find these spaces more easily, the Council will also improve our signposting to available parking locations. These will be shared in November as part of a wider campaign to improve parking awareness and accessibility.
“These changes are part of a wider commitment to ensuring Colchester’s city centre is well-equipped to handle future growth. By improving parking facilities now, we’re laying the groundwork for the transformation around St Botolphs and Britannia.”
Alongside parking improvements, Essex Highways continues to develop Colchester’s transport infrastructure, with plans to enhance public transport options, such as the Rapid Transit System. These developments, together with upgraded parking facilities, support the city’s accessibility and future growth.
Page last reviewed: 17 October 2025