PLANS to overhaul car parking in five market towns will go before councillors this week.

Officers at Hambleton District Council have come up with a car parking strategy with the aim of encouraging development and growth in the town centres.

The strategy's main proposals are to create new long stay edge-of-centre car parks in Northallerton, Thirsk, Bedale and Stokesley, and review the layout of existing car parks to provide more spaces at Applegarth in Northallerton and Millgate in Thirsk.

It also suggests improving car park signs in Northallerton, Thirsk, Bedale and Easingwold and changing long-stay spaces to short or medium stay in the Applegarth and Hambleton Forum car parks in Northallerton, Millgate in Thirsk and Stokesley High Street.

Northallerton and Thirsk have been given priority in the strategy, and feasibility and design works will be carried out there before the focus switches to Bedale, Stokesley and Easingwold.

The council's cabinet has given its backing to the measures and the strategy is now going before the environment and economy overview and scrutiny committee for consultation.

However, cabinet members have already agreed to spend up to £30,000 on new signs and up to £15,000 on design and feasibility work to remodel existing car parks.

Steve Quartermain, director of planning and environmental services, said: "The attractiveness of Hambleton's market towns as places to shop in, do business in and visit may be threatened because of insufficient car parking.

"Money may be committed to design and feasibility work on projects which the council may not be able to implement for technical reasons.

"There are also risks around public relations; despite consultations there may be local disagreement on proposals and about prioritisation."

A total of £500,000 has been set aside by the council for car parking over the next two years, but this is unlikely to cover the final cost.