AN about turn by council bosses means a £600,000 car park will go ahead in an effort to ensure a new bypass does not damage trade in a Dales market town.

Plans for a gateway car park to be built next to the £34m bypass currently under construction for Bedale, Aiskew and Leeming Bar were shelved earlier this year.

Hambleton District Council had planned to sell off one of two town centre car parks in Bedale to pay for the new one, due to be built next to the bypass on the edge of town. But after protests from local people about the loss of a town centre car park the scheme was put on hold.

Now councillors have agreed the bypass car park should go ahead as part of a potential £1.2m investment into the Bedale area which includes plans for a new cycleway.

And they have agreed not to sell off one of the town centre sites for the time being. Instead, they plan to monitor the car parks to see how well they are used.

District councillor John Noone said:”This is fantastic news for Bedale and good news for Hambleton. The bypass links into the A1 and the car park is to retain visitors and tourists that would normally disappear up into the Dales, so I think it is good all round.”

Deputy council leader Peter Wilkinson said: “Building the gateway car park will add to the long term vibrancy of Bedale, and is part of our long term plans to promote all our market towns. It also links to the release of £30,000 for a feasibility study into creating a foot and cycle link between Aiskew and Bedale.

“We are concerned about the economic prosperity of Bedale and the businesses, we have to find a way of encouraging people going up the dale to feed into the town, and hopefully offering a car park with spaces for cars and coaches will do that."

He said they would assess the viability of the two town centre car parks once the Gateway car park is finished and in use.

Hambleton Council is hoping to get the new car park built in time for the opening of the new bypass which is due to be completed in autumn 2016, but it’s understood they still need to buy some of the land needed for the 100 space car park.