MOURNERS and newly-weds could face parking fines under new proposals for Otley town centre.

To make way for the new Sainsbury's store in Bondgate, changes to junctions, parking and crossings are being planned for the town centre.

There could be no waiting along the arcade side of Kirkgate and a new pedestrian crossing close to the entrance of All Saints Parish Church.

And whereas traffic wardens currently turn a blind eye to hearses and wedding cars parking on the double yellow lines, they will have no choice but to issue tickets in the future.

A spokesman for Otley traffic wardens said parking close to crossings was an endorsable offence.

"There are double yellow lines outside the church, but we let them get on with it. We try to ease their grief when we can, but the zig-zag zone will go past the entrance to the church and parking on that is a different matter.

"It would have to be enforced. The zig-zag zone will go past the church entrance and our own bosses will tell us we will have to follow the legislation. We will be seen as kill-joys."

The Rev Phil Moon, assistant curate at Otley Parish Church, said around 50 funerals every year, or one a week, were held at the church.

"The available space for the funeral cortege will be reduced and reduced parking along Kirkgate generally will increase the likelihood of other vehicles stopping at the foot of the churchyard for collections and deliveries.

"These mean that we may be holding funerals for which little or no parking is available for the hearse and accompanying cars. This is something that would compound what is an already deeply traumatic time for the families concerned."

He added weddings would also be affected. "A similar, though less frequent, problem can be envisaged for the 15 or so weddings we hold each year at the church."

Otley traffic wardens, who have come up with their own traffic proposals for the town including making Market Street and Market Place pedestrian only, say they have an intimate knowledge of traffic flow in Otley.

"For a little town like Otley, this will be a big thing. It will affect a lot of businesses. If they are going to make changes they should be made for the benefit of the town and not just a supermarket."

The parish church has also condemned the plans as having a serious impact on available parking in the town which it believes will have a knock-on effect to the vitality of the town.

Mr Moon said: "The available parking spaces on either side of Kirkgate are rarely vacant during business hours; there is a virtually constant turn-round of vehicles all staying for a short period, as well as a succession of delivery vehicles. This seems essential to the maintenance of such a market community."

And he feared if people were