PROPOSALS for new parking arrangements in Barnard Castle are concerning councillors.

Plans include restricting parking time to a maximum of two hours on street parking bays and the cobbles.

Standardising the no waiting restrictions is also proposed. The current no waiting between 9am and 6pm would become no waiting at any time.

At Wednesday's meeting of Teesdale District Council, members heard that traffic management responsibility in lower Galgate , the Horse Market and the Market Place, had been transferred from Raby Estates to the council, which was now the lease-holder of the area.

Coun Newton Wood said: "This scheme is going to push more people into the surrounding areas. We have had conversations with residents about how unhappy they are.

"The whole thing is just a complete mess and doesn't give respect to our local residents."

Coun Coates said that the council should think about following Darlington's example by creating a residents' parking scheme.

"It does concern me that the residents are being forgotten about," he said.

Coun Armstrong said: "I welcome this as a first step. We still as a council have not had the final report of the traffic management committee.

"As a first step, that is far enough, but we do need to move faster."

Coun Bell said that he felt the change to the no waiting restriction was unnecessary, as the town was not particularly busy after 6pm.

Mr Ladyman, director of community services, said that the idea was to make a uniform restriction to avoid confusion.

The council awaits the final report from traffic management.