PRESSURE is being put on councillors to remedy problems caused by a £2m paving scheme for a city centre before the start of major celebrations next year.

The state of concrete-block paving in Ripon Market Place and other central roads, which was laid only a few years ago, has brought protests from local people.

Mayor of Ripon Councillor David Parnaby has asked for action as soon as possible, so restoration work will not interfere with the city's 400th charter anniversary celebrations, which run from March.

Coun Parnaby said the surface has caused problems for pedestrians in the Market Place, Minster Road and Duck Hill.

Taking up the issue with Mike Moore, environmental services director of North Yorkshire County Council, the Mayor said the roads had even sunk in places because of the weight of heavy traffic.

"I want to see the remedial work done, but not to see it delayed so long that it will be under way just when the celebrations take place," he said.

Specialists have been called in to assess the problems with the paving and Mr Moore said he was in the process of preparing a full report, including a programme of remedial works, on which the council will consult.

He said the aim was to ensure completion before anniversary events.

A report from the county council earlier this year said failure of the block paving could have been caused by its design, construction or a combination of both.

Work was carried out in 1999 following grants from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, which paid 75 per cent of the costs for a major refurbishment of Ripon centre.

The nine-acre market place, once described by the writer, Daniel Defoe, as being the finest and most beautiful in the country, was originally used for parking.

As part of the new-look scheme a section of the market place has been turned into a piazza.

But the paving has been open to much criticism and the mayor and other local councillors have campaigned for relaying of paved areas following regular complaints from pedestrians.