THE controversy over introducing on-street parking charges in the county town of North Yorkshire is expected to come to a head next week.

The county council’s Hambleton area committee is meeting on Monday to discuss the issue – and has the authority to make the final decision.

The proposal would see free parking on Northallerton’s High Street reduced to just 30 minutes with an 80p charge for parking for one hour and £1.60 for two hours.

Since the proposal first emerged late last year there has been a surge of objections from local businesses and individuals.

The county council argues the move would improve traffic flows and encourage shorter stays, thus enabling more people to park, saying both would benefit the local economy.

But objectors take the opposite view, claiming the move would be detrimental to the local economy, that 30 minutes of free parking is not enough and that the real cause of local congestion are the level crossings.

The meeting takes place at 2pm in County Hall, Northallerton.