Fans could be asked to pay more to park at matches next season if councillors vote in favour of abolishing the football rate on offer in some of Ipswich Borough Council's car parks around Portman Road.

Currently some, although not all, of the council-run car parks around the ground offer a £3.50 rate, but this faces the axe at a borough executive meeting this evening with some councillors keen to charge fans the hourly rate which would total £4.40.

Council director in charge of transport Russell Williams outlined the thinking behind the proposal, which will bring in £16,000: "Parking charges around football grounds in other towns are often set at up to three times the tariff charged by Ipswich and car parks located in close vicinity to clubs tend to charge a premium.

"The council should maximise the use of its assets, in line with good financial management, to the benefit of the council tax payer.”

David Ellesmere, the Labour opposition leader, says the proposal will help neither the club nor other businesses: "It's hard to see how slapping an extra £16,000 on match day parking charges is going to help the football club or struggling town centre shops.

"The council should be helping Ipswich's businesses to get through the recession, not pulling the rug from under them.”

Meanwhile, Sunday's Football League Awards ceremony in which Town's disability liaison officer Warner Duff received the Fan of The Year Award is being shown on Sky Sports One tonight at 6.30pm.

Photo: Action Images

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