Residents, shoppers and visitors can enjoy a smarter and more welcoming Wellesley Road Car Park in Clacton from this week after a £95,000 improvement scheme by Tendring District Council (TDC) was completed ahead of schedule.

The town centre car park is now due to reopen tomorrow (Thursday, 24 September) after resurfacing works and the installation of new pay-and-display machines were completed sooner than planned.

The upgrade has given the well-used car park a fresh new look while supporting the high standards expected by residents, shoppers, local businesses and visitors using facilities in the heart of the town.

Councillor Mick Barry, TDC Cabinet Member for Leisure and Public Realm, said he was pleased the project had been delivered ahead of schedule and to a high standard.

“This investment is part of our wider strategy to support town centres, improve public facilities and make it easier for residents, businesses and visitors to enjoy everything Clacton has to offer,” he said.

“This has been an important upgrade to a busy car park and completing it early while maintaining high standards is a real credit to everyone involved.

“I would like to thank our teams and contractors for their hard work in getting the job done quickly and professionally, with the result being a cleaner, smarter and more welcoming car park for residents, businesses and visitors.

“Investment like this helps support our town centres and gives people confidence that when they visit Clacton, they will find facilities that are safe, well cared for and easy to use.”

Councillor Mark Stephenson, Leader of Tendring District Council, said good-quality parking remains important to local people and to the district’s economy.

“Good parking helps people get into our town centres, visit the seafront and support the local businesses that are such an important part of our communities, which is why we continue to invest in our car parks,” he said.

“It’s encouraging to see so many of our sites recognised through the Safer Parking Scheme, giving residents and visitors added peace of mind when they’re out and about.

“At a time when many households are watching every penny, keeping parking affordable is one practical way we can help.

“Tendring continues to offer some of the lowest parking charges in Essex, while the Householder Parking Permit gives residents extra value and helps encourage more people to spend time in our town centres and support local businesses.”

The works at Wellesley Road, carried out by the council’s contractor Harrington Bros, began on 14 September and were originally expected to take two weeks to complete.

The upgrade comes as council-run car parks across Tendring continue to receive recognition for their high standards.

Earlier this month eleven more sites achieved Safer Parking Scheme awards for meeting high standards for safety, cleanliness, lighting and management, bringing the total number of award-winning sites in Tendring to 32.