WORK will start on creating 160 more parking spaces in Darlington town centre.
From Saturday, Darlington Borough Council will be operating the East Street car park, which was previously run by the NCP.
The council will start work on another level and the extra spaces are expected to be available from September.
The car park will be short-stay and the hourly cost has been reduced from £1.20 to 80p.
Councillor Nick Wallis, cabinet member for transport, said: "The council occupying and improving the car park will contribute to the vibrancy of the town centre and also increase accessibility and the availability of parking."
Parking spaces in the town centre have been at a premium since the Crown Street car park closed for redevelopment.
The council has also faced criticism over its on-street parking charges in and around the town centre, including Grange Road and Duke Street.
Following discussions, the council agreed to increase the maximum waiting time on five streets from one hour to two.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article