TWO new residents' parking schemes are being proposed for Darlington.

People living in the Victoria Embankment and Stanhope Road areas of the town have been sent a letter from Darlington Borough Council detailing the schemes.

Residents will be able to apply for a parking permit to park near their homes, although no specific parking places will be reserved.

The permits, which cost £50 for the first year and £25 per year after that, would operate between 8am and 6pm, from Monday to Saturday.

Anyone without a permit found parking in the designated area could be fined as the areas will be patrolled by a council car park warden.

Other roads in the two areas are to become short-term parking areas.

Some places will be marked for disabled people only, and for loading.

A spokesman for the council said: "The aim of the schemes is to provide sufficient designated daytime parking for residents to enable them, with the display of a permit, to park close to their homes, if they cannot actually get parked on their frontage, but at the same time ensuring that some provision for short and long-term parking remains to assist visitors to the houses and businesses in the area."

People living in the two areas have been asked to fill in a parking questionnaire so that the number of spaces that will be needed can be calculated.

Residents are also being asked for their comments on the scheme.