DRIVERS will not be charged for parking in Darlington town centre on Sundays, the borough council's leader said yesterday.

John Williams told a meeting of the council's cabinet yesterday that free parking on Sundays was not in jeopardy.

He was speaking as members approved a draft car parking strategy for the town, looking at ways of providing car parking while encouraging people to use public transport.

Among the suggestions made in the strategy were new parking meters, a park- and-ride scheme and charges for parking on Sunday.

But yesterday, the possibility of Sunday shoppers being charged to park was dismissed by Councillor Williams.

He said: "There is no prospect of Sunday charging in Darlington town centre. It will never be considered in Darlington as far as I am concerned until it is seen to be in the interests of the town centre as a whole.

"With the way the town is at the moment, these charges will not be beneficial and it will not happen."

The car parking strategy won the support of the council's cabinet. If it is finally approved, action plans set out in the report will be looked at more closely and recommendations to introduce changes will be drawn-up.