Measures to reduce congestion caused by growing numbers of cars parking in Skipton High Street have been given approval.

Members of Craven District Council's policy and resources committee backed the idea of Councillor Shelagh Marshall to allow residents extra periods of free parking.

Congestion caused by parked vehicles in the High Street has been aggravated recently as a result of the rise in charges in April to 80p at the town's car parks.

Coun Marshall, who said she had received numerous complaints about the problem, told the committee: "There has been increased obstruction by vehicles in Skipton High Street by drivers who are not willing to pay 80p simply to go to the bank.

"I have received complaints of increased parking in Nelson Street, Westmoreland Street and Brougham Street, and one older resident in Nelson Street told me that if he used his car to go into town he often

could not park again outside his home."

Coun Marshall put a proposal to the full council meeting in July for the authority to extend its winter parking scheme for permit holders for an extra two months. Committee members gave approval to this scheme under which the November to February concession, which has been operating for the past three years, will now run from October 1 to March 31.

Craven residents holding permits can park for a period of up to three hours in any one day on the car parks at the High Street, Skipton, and Whitefriars, Settle, without charge.

The scheme was established to allow Craven residents closer access to the main shopping centres in the towns and to help older people or families with young children.

A further proposal to reduce congestion in the streets of Skipton was also put forward by Coun Marshall in July and deferred for discussion at this week's meeting of the policy and resources committee.

Coun Marshall called for the introduction of 20 free car-parking spaces, to be used for periods of up to 30 minutes, in Skipton's High Street car park. Council officers had calculated that this scheme would result in a loss of revenue to the council of £17,533 a year.

Members of the committee were asked to note this and submit the scheme as a "priority pot" bid in the 1999/2000 budget review.

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