A free parking trial in Malton will go ahead despite the objections of some district councillors who claim the town is receiving special treatment.

Business leaders have been campaigning for a six-month free trial at Wentworth Street car park to test their theory that free parking would increase the number of visitors coming to the town.

Last night a majority of members of Ryedale District Council's policy and resources meeting decided to support the scheme - which will be funded by the town centre initiative - in principle only.

But some councillors said further pleas by business leaders for free two-hour parking throughout the town would be giving Malton "special treatment".

Coun Stephen Shaw, a Malton trader, said jobs were under threat and businesses were in danger of folding because of the loss in trade resulting from the foot and mouth crisis.

He claimed council officers were not doing enough to support businesses.

"All we are asking for is support for this parking trial in principle to increase footfall through the town," he said.

"Since February there have been no farming markets and this has affected business.

"Some traders are not going to come out of this crisis and survive."

But councillors representing Ryedale's other market towns and rural areas claimed a free parking trial in just one town was unfair on the rest of the district's council tax payers.

Coun Debbie Aubrook said many other areas of Ryedale had been affected by the crisis.

"I think the retail industry does need all the support it can get and the council is doing its bit to support businesses," she said.

But she said it was up to the Malton and Norton Town Centre Initiative to co-ordinate a free-parking trial.

Coun Helen Schroeder said she was concerned that too much emphasis was being put on the losses Malton and Norton had suffered.

"I feel you cannot give these towns special treatment - we have no idea how much each town has lost."

But chief executive Harold Mosley said figures were available. "In the first month of the crisis parking revenue in Pickering was down 60 per cent - in Malton it was down 30 per cent."

Coun Keith Knaggs said he was unhappy to allow such a scheme to be concentrated on just Malton. "If we do that for one market town we have to do it for them all," he said.

Meanwhile members also endorsed a plan to create more coach parking spaces in Newgate Street, Malton, and to advertise the town to coach companies as a stopping off point.

Updated: 11:02 Friday, June 29, 2001