WIDE-ranging plans to overhaul the parking system in five market towns goes before councillors next week.

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

Its main proposals are to create long stay edge-of-centre car parks in Northallerton, Thirsk, Bedale and Stokesley, and to review the layout of existing car parks to create extra spaces at the 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 attention is switched to Bedale, Stokesley and Easingwold.

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

However, cabinet members have already agreed to spend up to £30,000 on 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."

However, he said there were risks associated with the strategy.

"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," he said.

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 overall cost.

Mr Quartermain said: "From the pre-feasibility/pre-design costings, it is clear that this will be insufficient to implement the whole strategy.

"The strategy will therefore need to be regarded as a longer-term blueprint and be prioritised. Other funding sources will also need to be considered."