Due to survey works, Britannia and Vineyard Street car parks in Colchester will be temporarily closed at different times during the week commencing 23 January.
Previous Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey works by archaeologists to better understand the history of St Botolph’s Priory which took place in November had to be halted, due to the weather conditions. This work will now resume on 23 January, when the car park will be completely closed, followed by part-closures on 24 and 25 January.
Vineyard Street Car Park will be closed from 25-28 January to carry out identical GPR survey works. Due to Vineyard Street Car Park’s proximity to the Roman Wall, the works are being carried out to improve our understanding of the history of the earliest city wall in Britain.
Visitors and workers in Colchester can still take advantage of the great value parking available at the Council’s other award-winning car parks nearby, including Priory Street, St John’s (open 5am until 7pm) and Napier Road North, all of which offer disabled parking bays.
Cllr Pam Cox, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Heritage, said: “The work being undertaken is designed to reveal new information about two of Colchester’s most important historic sites – St Botolph’s Priory and the Roman Wall. Britain’s First City is steeped in history and this opportunity enables us to discover more about its rich heritage.”
Cllr Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services and Waste, said: “We apologise for any inconvenience these works cause and have worked hard to ensure the disruption is minimal. There are a number of other car parks offering great value parking in the city centre as well as the Park Active scheme for those who are keen to walk and cycle part of their journey and save some money too.”
If poor weather prevents the works from taking place on these dates, they will take place on alternative dates in the near future, which will be advertised beforehand in the car park and on the Council’s website.
Information on parking in Colchester can be found at colchester.gov.uk/parking
Page last reviewed: 10 January 2023