The majority of town centre car parks are open 24 hours a day, with some exceptions. Opening hours are displayed using the 'Find Your Car Park Selector' on the left.
Useful information
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Coming into town on a Saturday morning?
Then why not tune into BBC Radio Suffolk to find out which car parks have spaces available? Regular broadcasts at 8:45am, 9:45am and 10:45am describe the traffic conditions and car park information for all the main car parks in town, and Park & Ride. Tune to 103.9 or 104.6 FM.
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Helping you to find a car park
Along the main A1156 and A1214 routes towards the town centre, brown tourist signs have been installed to direct you to the most appropriate car parks. Look out for these as you come in to Ipswich.
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Park & Ride Ipswich
Park & Ride from London Road is situated off the A1214 at the interchange of the A12 and A14, to the south-west of Ipswich. A second Ipswich Park & Ride site is situated at Bury Road, just off the A14 north-west interchange with the A1156. A third site opened in November 2003 at Martlesham next to the A12/A1214 Martlesham roundabout. Ipswich Park & Ride is provided by Suffolk County Council in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council and Ipswich Buses. See the Ipswich Park & Ride web site hosted by Suffolk County Council.
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Car Parking on Football Match Days
On home football match days, parts of Portman Road and Sir Alf Ramsey Way will be closed to traffic 1½ hours prior to match kick-off. Entry to the Cattle Market, Portman Road and Great Gipping Street car parks on match days is from the Handford Road end of Portman Road only. Please arrive in plenty of time. Visiting Away Supporters are directed to car parks in Princes Street and Cardinal Park from the A12/A14 south west interchange via London Road (A1214) and West End Road. This route is sign-posted. Visiting coaches should use the car park in Princes Street where dedicated bays are provided. Please avoid parking on grass verges, as this is not only illegal but also dangerous and will leave the driver liable to prosecution.
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Parking for people with disabilities
In order to assist Blue Badge-holders to park as close to Ipswich's main town centre streets as possible special on-street parking spaces have been provided.
The special spaces, where Blue Badge-holders may park for up to three hours, are in Blackhorse Lane, Museum Street, Tower Ramparts, Princes Street, Tower Street, Northgate Street, Old Foundry Road and Upper Barclay Street.
Special parking spaces, marked for disabled users are provided in most of the central car parks close to the pedestrian exits. Reserved parking for people with disabilities is available in Crown multi-storey car park on levels 1 and 3. Dedicated, free parking spaces are available for people with disabilities at the short stay Pay & Display car parks.
The Car Parks Selector in Find your Car Park can be used to create a list of all car parks with bays reserved for people with disabilities.
Ipswich has a Shopmobility mobility scheme which operates from the Buttermarket Shopping Centre.
Park & Ride services are operated by 'super low floor' buses built to carry wheelchairs and 'kneel' to kerb height to allow easy access. The Park & Ride buses stop at Old Cattle Market for access to the Shopmobility Centre in the Buttermarket Shopping Centre.
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Wider parking bays
Wider parking bays for all cars are available on levels 7 & 8 at Crown multi-storey car park. The bays on these floors are all at least 33% wider than normal. They are especially suitable for MPVs, 4x4's and other large family saloons.
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Parking for families with toddlers
Reserved parking for families with toddlers is available on levels 1, 3, 5 and 7 in Crown multi-storey car park. These spaces are signed and located near to the lifts at the swimming pool end.
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Pay on Foot Ticket System
Certain car parks operate a 'Pay on Foot' system, designed to speed up the exit from the car park. Take a ticket on entry, keep it with you in a safe place and pay at the machine on your return to the car park, before returning to your car.
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Pay & Display Car Parks
Many of the outdoor car parks are Pay & Display. At these car parks it is the driver's responsibility to purchase a ticket from the machine to the tariff for the stay required. Some areas of parking on street now have Pay & Display machines, so check for signage along the pavement. Check the tariff information and machine digital display windows carefully. Attendants, whose duty is security and enforcement, regularly patrol these parking areas. Vehicles parked without a valid ticket are liable to receive Excess Charge Notices.
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Contact Information
We are happy to receive your comments about car parking in Ipswich. Please address all correspondence to:
The Parking Services Manager
PO Box 668
Ipswich IP1 9AS
Email car.parks@ipswich.gov.uk
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