PARKING permits have been introduced for residents of a North Yorkshire town centre after complaints that shoppers were blocking out shop staff and tenants.

The Fitzwilliam (Malton) Estate is introducing the permit-only scheme at two car parks off Finkle Street and St Michael's Street in Malton.

The permits will be for residents of the streets and local shopkeepers.

Estate manager Roddy Bushell said they were responding to a plea from tenants to stop rogue shoppers parking in the bays.

"There has been a growing trend for tenants of adjoining flats and retail premises to find 'stray' cars parked in their spaces," he said.

Now a York firm has been drafted in to patrol the car parks from Monday.

Mr Bushell added: "I regret that we have had to introduce parking controls.

"Penalty notices belong in a city, not a friendly place like Malton, and we do not intend to allow wheel-clamping.

"I will do what I can to minimise the impact of introducing permits and, hopefully, few penalty notices will be required once everyone gets used to the change."

Car park attendants who find anyone parking without a permit will issue a parking charge of £60, reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.

Existing tenants have been given free permits, and Mr Bushell said some additional spaces would be available with annual permits costing £135.

Tenant Marsha Turnbull, who runs Housemartin's creche in St Michael's Street, said she hoped the new permit system would improve the parking situation.

"We have had a problem in the past with people parking in there," she said.

"It has had to be done because people have just been taking advantage - it's a fact of life that parking is a problem."

Updated: 11:24 Wednesday, January 15, 2003