BRITAIN's biggest car park operator is to enforce new parking restrictions on the streets of Durham City.

Durham County Council has given the job of policing the scheme to National Car Parks (NCP), which was chosen over five other bidders.

The council is introducing pay and display areas, residents' permits and other parking controls in many city streets, in three phases between autumn and the spring of next year, to ease congestion.

The company will be responsible for managing and enforcing the restrictions, but the city's police officers will still deal with parking on double yellow lines.

NCP already has 500 sites across the country and has won the contract to manage on-street parking in Lewisham, London.

The Durham contract was awarded under the Government's "best value" regime which aims to ensure that public services are cost-effective and efficient.

Council leader Don Robson said: "This is a very important step in realising the county council's ambition to implement a comprehensive package of integrated transport proposals in the centre of Durham City."

"The future partnership with National Car Parks demonstrates that the county council can deliver a high quality of service and value for money for the people of the county."