The new town centre police station in Museum Street, Ipswich, has officially opened.

It replaces the Civic Drive police station which has been at the heart of policing in the town since the late 1960s.

The Museum Street station is the base for 70 staff, including the Central Ipswich Safer Neighbourhood Team.

It is also the main public access point for the police in the town centre – the front desk will be staffed from 8am to 8pm seven days a week and from 9am to 5pm on public holidays.

Supt Louisa Pepper, the senior officer at the station, welcomed the new start the buiulding represents.

She said: “We have been based in Civic Drive for many years and that building was very tired. The new station is much nearer the heart of the town and it will be much more accessible to members of the public.

“The old station was well-known and we do need to spread the word that we have moved here – but it is very easy to find and is right opposite the bus stop for the park and ride services.”

The opening hours have not changed with the move – outside these times the police control room can be contacted by calling 999.

Civic Drive has been largely empty since most of its work transferred to Landmark House on the Whitehouse Industrial Estate at the end of 2012; only part of the ground floor remained in use.

Once the police have finished clearing out the building it will be handed back to its original owner, the borough council, eventually allowing the site to be redeveloped.