COMMUTERS have been left fuming after a popular car park closed two-thirds of its spaces without warning.

More than 60 per cent of Sheepen Road long-stay car park, in Colchester, was cordoned off yesterday for resurfacing.

Colchester Council said the work was urgently needed to repair dangerous potholes, and enlarge its 230 narrow bays, but the move angered motorists, who claim they were not notified there would be fewer spaces.

Laurence Klein, 53, a business owner and season ticket holder at Sheepen Road, said: "I think it is appalling that they just shut it off without warning."

Richard Walker, parking services manager for Colchester Council, said: "We have wanted the car park resurfaced for a long time but we have to fit in with the weather and when we can get the contractors.

"We have been saving it until June, when there are fewer people in town, but it needed to be done as the surface is wearing out. It has dangerous holes, so it couldn't wait .

"I had asked our engineers to put signs up to warn people but clearly that's not happened."

A smaller area of the car park is closed today while the work continues.

Mr Walker also said motorists could expect some disruption when Britannia car park is resurfaced this summer.