WORK to extend Manningtree Station's car park to provide an extra 226 parking spaces is about to start.

The existing one-storey car park will be expanded sideways increasing its size by just under one third and creating an extra 45 spaces.

A boggy patch of wasteland beyond the decked car park will be drained and levelled to create 157 extra spaces.

An additional 24 Blue Badge spaces will be created by demolishing redundant buildings outside the station and making better use of other land at the station.

More energy efficient LED lighting will be installed throughout the car park as part of the project too.

The work is expected to take six months to complete in a series of phases.

While the work is carried out, there will be a reduction in the amount of parking available at the station.

Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia's asset management director, said: “Manningtree is a popular station and many passengers choose to travel to the station by car.

“We are making sure that the station is ready for future growth by extending the car park now. We apologise for any inconvenience caused to customers while the work is ongoing.”

There are currently 580 car parking spaces at the station.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition has recently been installed at the car park, making it easier for customers to pay for parking by a variety of methods.

The work is part of a £25million investment in improving car parks at 20 car parks, adding an extra 1,782 spaces, fitting LED lights, improving CCTV and security and re-surfacing.