Changes to car park season tickets and hours has disgruntled motorists.

The time limit at the Tesco car park in Braintree town centre has been cut and monthly season tickets at the multi-storey car park in Braintree have been scrapped.

These changes follow proposals to increase parking charges at the 15 council-run car parks in Braintree and Witham.

There has been a 1½-hour time limit in place at the Tesco store since the week commencing October 5, which some residents have complained is not enough time for a big shop.

Previously shoppers had complained they did not get prior warning when Tesco cut the free parking hours there from three to two in 2007.

Mrs Childs from Felsted wrote to the Braintree and Witham Times saying: “If we had not noticed the change in time we could have been looking at a £70 fine.

“This is not fair, so come on Tesco, think again before you lose customers.”

Rory Stoves, a Tesco spokesman, said: "The store has restrictions in place in the car park to ensure that spaces are free for Tesco customers.”

Instead of being able to buy monthly season tickets at about £35 for the multi-storey car park at George Yard Shopping Centre the options now are to purchase a three-month ticket at £100 or a yearly ticket at £350.

The change will also apply to the following car parks: George Yard Surface, Victoria Street and Station Approach.

Shula Newman from Colchester, who travels into Braintree for work, said: “I think it’s a joke basically, and to introduce it right on top of Christmas I just think it’s stupid.

“I think a lot of people aren’t going to be able to afford £100, just pull £100 right out of the air just before Christmas, and the fact you have got to send it off and all that is inconvenient.”

The 26-year-old added how it was also a lot of money to pay up front while there was job insecurity during the recession.

Richard Walker, parking services manager (Parking Partnership) at Colchester Council, said the Parking Partnership had written to all its customers explaining the new process for the season tickets and reasons behind it.

He said: “The changes allow us to streamline the system and bring efficiencies in improved administration and control.

“To date, monthly season ticket applications and issue has been a difficult process both for the customer and for the Partnership.”