MOTORISTS are being warned of the temporary closure of a town centre car park in Hartlepool while improvement works are carried out.

The 106-space Roker Street car park will close from Sunday evening until March 31.

The £100,000 scheme will include a new road surface and improved security measures, including upgraded security cameras, in a bid to win Secure Car Park status, through a scheme co-ordinated by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

If successful, it will be the fourth town centre car park to receive the accolade after Eden Street and the multi-storey and basement car parks in the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre.

Phil Hepburn, Hartlepool Borough Council's car parking manager, said: "Roker Street car park is in need of major improvement, we can no longer just fill in the holes in the road surface.

"The work cannot be done around partial closures so that is why we have decided to go for this complete temporary closure."

Roker Street is popular with motorists paying short visits to the town centre as there is a charge of 20p for 30 minutes.

Mr Hepburn said: "There are spaces in the Gainford Street, Albert Street, Dover Street and Mill House car parks offering similar low-priced short stay parking, but obviously these are limited."