Rail travellers in Bury St Edmunds look set to be given a shot in the arm with the creation of additional car parking spaces at the station.

It’s part of a plan by Greater Anglia which has drawn up plans to spend £20 million to add over 1,700 extra spaces across its network and has been welcomed by the town’s MP Jo Churchill and Bury St Edmunds Town Council.

The rail company said it is committed to expanding and improving parking at stations throughout East Anglia over the next seven years, putting in extra spaces which will meet the Safer Parking Scheme’s Park Mark regulations about safety and security in car parks.

The first phase of car park improvements is to create more than 700 spaces across Bury St Edmunds, Marks Tey, Shenfield, Attleborough and Hockley, near Southend, with work due to start this year.

It’s not yet known what area is to be used to create the additional spaces in Bury but Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia Asset Management Director, said: “We know customers who drive to stations want to be able to park as quickly and easily as possible, which is why we’re committed to improving parking across the Greater Anglia network, making life a little easier for our customers.”

Mrs Churchill said: “Bury St Edmunds Rail Station and estate has needed improvements for some time. “Since I was first elected I have been campaigning for and working with Network Rail, Greater Anglia, local councillors and members of Bury St Edmunds Town Trust to deliver vital improvements including adequate parking.

“With more jobs and new opportunities arriving to Suffolk Business Park, in Bury, the promise of additional spaces is a welcome step to bringing our station into the 21st century and in line with the needs and expectations of passengers.”

And Andrew Speed, the chairman of Bury St Edmunds Town Council, added: “The entire area around the station requires refurbishment and development, both to improve parking provision and to improve the fabric and look of the station itself.

“Importantly this must be carried out in line with a reassessment of traffic requirements, particularly on Fornham Road which is not designed to deal with the growing volume of traffic that will result from increased housing and train usage in the locality.”

Across the network, Greater Anglia is planning to improve car parks at busy stations by building single and multi-storey car parks and extending surface car parks, subject to planning permission.

CCTV, signage and lighting at all extended car parks will also be improved.

It is also planning to install Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) at 20 car parks across East Anglia.

Last year, ANPR was installed at Ipswich and it will be rolled out at Colchester, Shenfield, Cambridge and Broxbourne over the coming months.

ANPR makes it easier for customers to pay for parking, as it increases the variety of payment options, even enabling customers to pre-register their car and payment details online, allowing automatic payment. It also improves security.