Airport bosses have defended changes to car park charges after hiking up prices.

Short stay car parking fees at Norwich International Airport have gone up from �15 for the first day and �10 thereafter to a flat rate of �20 per 24 hours.

Prices in the long stay car park have also gone up by up to �10.

It is not all bad news for passengers, however, because NCP, the company which runs the car park, has introduced a pre-book scheme where people can book their parking on the phone or online up to 60 days in advance and save money.

The drop-off time limit in the short stay car park has also doubled from just five minutes to 10 minutes.

Deanna Auker, commercial and marketing manager at the airport, said: 'Ideally, we would like people who are staying for more than 24 hours to stay in the long stay car park so we've changed our prices so that they get the best value for money by doing that.

'If people are flying out and in of Norwich within 24 hours then they will go in the short stay car park and if they pre-book then that still costs �15.

'We've increased the long stay car park charges but we haven't increased them for more than two years. We are constantly monitoring car park tariffs at Stansted, Luton and all our nearest competitors and comparatively we still offer the most competitive price.'

Long stay car park charges have gone up �10 for the first day, from �15 to �25. The price has increased by �8 for two days, �4 for three days, �3 for four days, �2 for five days but by �1 for six days or more.

If people book in advance, daily prices start from �5.56 based on an eight day stay booked 60 days in advance in the long stay car park.

Ms Auker added: 'A lot of people who use the short stay car park are business people who will park there and claim it back. We also have a lot of drop-offs and car hire using the short stay park so we really need people to be using the long stay car park, which is only a three or four minute walk from the airport terminal, if they are going away for more than 24 hours.'

What do you think of the changes to Norwich airport's car park charges? Write to Evening News Letters, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE or email eveningnewsletters@archant.co.uk