A PLANNED £70,000 scheme to radically alter the bus facilities in Northallerton has come under fire amid claims it will add to local congestion.

North Yorkshire County Council wants to spend the cash on a series of improvements to passenger waiting facilities in the town.

The money has been made available by the Government as part of the drive to create a better public transport infrastructure.

But local county councillor John Coulson claims the Northallerton scheme will add to local congestion and hit the town's popular market.

He is spending this week patrolling the High Street with a mobile stall to allow the public to make their comments - and says the vast majority have so far come out against it.

The scheme involves creating two bus lay-bys and shelters in Zetland Street, and a larger lay-by outside the Nag's Head in the High Street.

It also involves the creation of passenger waiting facilities in the area between the town hall and the market cross - and to compensate for the loss of parking there, buses and coaches will be barred from the area in front of the Buck Inn and the parish church where they currently congregate.

There has also been the suggestion of creating a bus lane from South Parade into the High Street, although it is not part of the current proposals.

Councillor Coulson said that many people were in broad agreement with the plans for Zetland Street and the Nag's Head, but were giving the thumbs down to the town hall proposals.

"Why take up these parking spaces when the best idea would be to enhance the area in front of the Buck Inn and put up shelters and seats there?" he asked.

"People want to see the parking left as it is."

He said the market would also be hit by the scheme as the town hall area was where the traders parked many of their vehicles.

"The feeling is that Northallerton is congested enough," he said.

The county council's passenger transport manager, Richard Owens, said consultation about the proposed scheme was continuing.