BECCLES, Bungay and Halesworth could benefit from a six figure project to repair and improve car parks across Waveney.As part of its annual car park review Waveney District Council has proposed a series of changes which could see charges increase.

BECCLES, Bungay and Halesworth could benefit from a six figure project to repair and improve car parks across Waveney.

As part of its annual car park review Waveney District Council has proposed a series of changes which could see charges increase.

Resurfacing, installing new lights and buying new ticket machines for 32 car parks in the district would cost Waveney District Council nearly �400,000.

Halesworth's Station Road car park could be receiving the most work locally, where over �24,000 may be spent on converting the surface from shingle to tarmacadam.

Also in Halesworth, nearly �3,500 could be spent on a project at Angel Lane South car park which would include installing disabled access for wheelchair. Angel Lane North, Thoroughfare and Thoroughfare extension would also receive minor work.

In Beccles nearly �20,000 could be spent at Hungate car park where two ticket machines need to be replaced and lighting is required, and new lights are also needed in Newgate at a cost of �10,000. Minor work to replace signs could take place at Blyburgate.

In Bungay it has been recommended that Scales Street car park receive a new ticket machine, tariff board, lights and refresh lining, which could cost over �8,000, while ticket machines may be replaced at Priory Lane and Wharton Street.

The biggest changes across Waveney could be seen at the busy Clapham Road car park in Lowestoft town centre, where �98,000 of resurfacing is needed, and shingle could be completely replaced with tarmacadam at the Albany Road car park.

Another �98,000 bill could come for resurfacing the popular car park near the Pier in Southwold.

Proposed new car park charges, which will be unveiled at a council meeting on Tuesday, would help to pay for the much-needed work. If the suggestions are backed at the meeting, the council's cabinet will make a final decision on the scheme in September.

A report which will be presented to Waveney council's environment and regeneration scrutiny sub-committee at a meeting on Tuesday said: “The car parks review will review current and previous income from car parks in order to assess income trends, improvements that might be made in service provision in order to maximise use of existing facilities.”

The report also said that if repair work goes ahead, it will need to be scheduled at different times to make sure that there is still space for people to park.

Waveney Norse, the council's partnership agency, would be in charge of replacing the tariff signs in most car parks and improving some cycle and motorcycle bays, which could cost up to �5,500.

Last summer, the council increased its car parking charges across the district, with charges for a day's parking on Lowestoft seafront rising from �5 to �5.50 and charges being introduced for the first time at Station Road in Halesworth.

A council spokesman said: “This is all part of our programme of improvements. Whenever we say we are going to put car parking prices up, part of that is us trying to improve them and that money has to be generated from somewhere.”