A POLICE inspector has said new parking restrictions in a Teesdale market town cannot be enforced by the police alone.

Inspector Kevin Tuck, of Barnard Castle police, has said he will ask for help from traffic wardens and police Community Support Officers (CSOs) to help enforce restrictions in the town.

Insp Tuck told councillors at Barnard Castle Town Council that the success of the restrictions, which are the subject of a public consultation, would depend upon the town being able to obtain the services of wardens or CSOs.

In recent years, the town has not been visited by traffic wardens, leading many people to park all day in the Market Place and surrounding streets.

The restrictions aim to introduce a two-hour parking limit across the town.

Councillor Newton Wood said it was unfair to expect police to enforce the restrictions on their own.

Insp Tuck said he broadly welcomed the parking proposals.

Although traffic management was more of a local priority than a policing priority, police officers would be paying routine attention to parking violations when the restrictions were introduced, he said.

But he added: "The key is the traffic wardens and CSOs. If these things don't happen, it's going to be problematic.

"That doesn't mean we're not going to do it, but we need that support from traffic wardens and CSOs."

Town councillors have agreed to write to the county council saying they supported the plans.

But they said that they were disappointed there had been no provision made for a disc parking scheme in the town.