CAR-PARKING charges seem likely to stay the same in the Yorkshire Dales, despite a demanding 12 months that has seen income almost halved by the foot-and-mouth disease crisis.
National park chiefs will be told at a meeting today that the early Easter break and good weather in April had helped soften the blow.
However, revenue from the 11 car parks run by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority totalled £198,500 for the 2001/02 financial year, compared with £342,100 the year before.
But officers have said there are already signs of recovery and, with new pay-and-display machinery due to be installed at Aysgarth and Hawes, there is potential for further improvement.
"Additionally, a long weekend with two bank holidays falls in June, which could have the same impact as an Easter long weekend,'' contracts manager Joyce Whitley said in a report to the finance and resources committee.
She said monitoring would continue and that any signs that the budget should be revised would be referred back to the committee.
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