POORLY maintained car parks in Burnley are set to be improved in time for the Christmas shopping rush.

Work is due to start imminently on improving the town's car parks after councillors approved the release of £70,000 at an Executive meeting on Tuesday night.

The money has been released after a study conducted for the council found that the car parks are a "minefield" of danger and had poor security.

Gordon Birtwistle, leader of Burnley Council, said that now the money has been released work could start straight away.

He said: "Over the last twelve months we have been working hard to try and improve the town's car parks especially looking at tidying them and increasing safety measures.

"The approval of the money is the last stage in finishing all the work to the town's car parks.

"Now the money has been released the work will be able to start and should be done in time for Christmas, which should benefit shoppers and hopefully bring more money to the town."

A new car park has already been built on the site of the Thompson Centre and £30,000 was approved to make improvements to the Town Hall car park at the end of July, bringing extra spaces for shoppers.

Council chiefs have feared that poorly maintained car parks would deter shoppers from visiting the town centre and may jeopardise business.

The cash needs to be spent to stop the council having to pay out for so-called slips and trips claims and in a bid to bring the car parks up to safety standards, according to the study.

Over the last 15 years the council has paid out more than £40,000 in liability claims where people have been injured on its car parks, the study said.

A risk assessment of all the car parks has now got underway and is due to be completed by November.

King Street car park will receive £30,000 to create 12 extra spaces and improved signs.

And Finsley Gate car park will receive £20,000. The work will involve removing loose and dangerous bollards and improving surfacing.

A further £30,000 will be spent on the general maintenance of other town centre car parks.

Winston Robinson, of Burnley Council's Street-Scene department, said the money has been well spent. He said: "The saving and additional income generated from the car parks will result in a pay back of less than five years."