A £60,000 parking scheme aims to improve the safety of children at a Teesside primary school.

Parking areas are to be established in the Stockton Road and Russell Walk vicinity of Hartlepool, with funding coming from the town's New Deal for Communities programme.

One parking area, with about 22 spaces, which will be enclosed by alleygates, is to be constructed at the rear of Stockton Road.

This will help to ease road safety problems in Russell Walk, outside Stranton Primary School, due to the number of parked vehicles. Local businesses will also benefit.

A second parking area, in Stockton Road, is to be built to the north of the Russell Walk junction and will cater for about seven vehicles. A third area is to be provided opposite the junction of Stockton Road and Cornwall Street.

The proposals have been approved by Councillor Robbie Payne, Hartlepool Borough Council's culture, housing and transportation portfolio holder.

He said: "I welcome these improvements, particularly on the grounds that they will help to protect pupils attending Stranton Primary School.

"It is important that our children are able to travel to and from school safely.

"Hopefully, the schemes will also benefit local businesses, by making it easier for potential customers to park their vehicles."

The improvements are to be carried out during the school summer holidays.