ONE of the main car parks in Northallerton is becoming dangerous while a local authority is holding back £50,000 earmarked for resurfacing. That was the claim made on Tuesday at a meeting of Hambleton public protection and emergency committee.

Resurfacing was needed in the Applegarth because some of the temporary work done there 18 months ago had proved unsatisfactory, members heard.

Mr Steve Quartermain, head of planning and technical services, said the new resurfacing programme involving an allocation of £50,000 was being rolled over into the next financial year.

He said the standard of work already done had been raised with the county council, which had acted as a contractor, and added: "We have come to an agreement about which parts we are paying for, which were satisfactory, and which bits we are not paying for, which were not satisfactory."

He thought, however, that it might not be appropriate to spend the £50,000 in this financial year because of a forthcoming town centre review which could affect the future of the Applegarth.

But Coun John Coulson insisted that some action was needed because the car park did not comply with the law. In some places there were two sets of white parking lines because previous markings were showing through the temporary surface and there were loose chippings which could damage car windscreens.

He said: "It is about time something was done. The Applegarth is becoming dangerous in places."

Mr Geoff Holder, design and maintenance manager at Hambleton, admitted that the temporary surface dressing with tar and chippings had not proved successful.

He added, however, that any safety problems would be picked up during monthly inspections of car parks and there was a programme of sweeping to remove any loose materials. It would also be possible to do patch repairs to the Applegarth