MILLIONS of pounds are to be invested in Darlington's roads to tackle the town's congestion and illegal parking problems, a councillor has revealed.

Darlington Borough Council has pledged a total of £6m in total on schemes to reduce gridlock in congestion hot-spots in the town, including West Auckland Road.

But the sum includes an undisclosed amount which will be put towards to the Eastern Transport Corridor scheme.

It was also revealed that next summer, the authority will gain control of issuing all parking tickets, an issue which is dealt with by the police in some areas of the town.

The news comes in response to Conservative councillor Jim Ruck's criticism of the problems in Cockerton, where he says more than 20,000 vehicles a day pass through.

At a full council meeting on Thursday, Coun Ruck said that although securing the Eastern Transport Corridor had been welcome news, it had taken ten years to achieve.

He suggested that the council draw up a ten-year transport plan.

He said: "Is it not possible for us to set out and organise a fast-track panel to look at West Auckland Road and Woodlands Road to see, without waiting ten years, if we can do something to ease the traffic and congestion?

"When I was operating in Cockerton, it was 18,000 to 20,000 vehicles a day going past there.

"We have now got a situation developing where there is massive congestion in Cockerton village."

Councillor Nick Wallis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said the council had earmarked £6m to combat the problem.

"Tackling congestion is one of the central policies of the next five years of the Local Transport Plan.

"We have plans to deal with congestion, not just on the east side but also on the west and north sides of town."

He added that the council would also attempt to tackle illegal parking.

"That is something we are addressing through our approach of de-criminalising parking," he said.

"In the summer next year, we will be in control of parking enforcement in the whole borough.

"I am confident that this local authority will be able to do something that regrettably the police haven't regarded as a big priority."