SHOPPERS and traders will get a chance to have their say as a council reveals details on future car parking charges.

Many traders have been campaigning for years against the idea of car parking charges in Bishop Auckland.

The issue has been the subject of meetings between Wear Valley District Council, local businesses and Durham County Council.

The district councill is now pressing ahead with a pay-and-display scheme, which is open to public consultation.

It is proposing that car parks in Kingsway/South Church, The Newgate Centre, North Bondgate and Victoria Avenue become short-stay car parks. Kingsway, north of Gib Chare, will become a long-stay car park along with South Terrace and Tenters Street.

The charges will be implemented between 7.30am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday inclusive, and will exclude Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Lesley Zair, who owns a caf in the town, said: "It is out to public consultation at the moment. We will just have to wait and see.

"The car park at North Bondgate has been a pay-and-display for some time now and I have to say that it has improved footfall because people know they will be able to get a space.''

Charges in the short-stay car parks will start at 30p for the first hour, 80p for up to two hours and £1.60 for three hours. People parking in long-stay car parks will be charged £3 all day or £7 for a weekly pass.

The proposals are on display in the town's council offices, at Old Bank Chambers, in the Market Place and the Civic Centre, Crook, between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4.30pm, on a Friday. The Old Bank Chambers are closed on Wednesday mornings. Objections and comments should be submitted to the Head of Legal Services, Wear Valley District Council, Civic Centre, Crook, by February 19.