Pay and display plans dropped in win for residents
CONTROVERSIAL proposals to introduce pay and display parking in eight towns have been withdrawn.
There was huge opposition to the plans, which would have seen charges being imposed after an initial free parking period in Braunton, Crediton, Dartmouth, Honiton, Okehampton, Salcombe, Sidmouth and Tavistock.
Devon County Council’s cabinet has accepted a report on the proposals which recommended withdrawing them.
Council leader Councillor John Hart, who chaired the meeting, said: “We have listened to the county councillors who have represented their towns very forcefully. We have listened to the residents and businesses in these towns and to their local councils.
“Many of our towns have parking and congestion issues which need to be tackled but it’s important that any solution has the support of the local community. We are listening to them.”
In the report, Meg Booth, director of climate change, environment and transport, said: “There has been significant objection to the principle of new pay and display across all communities and to implement the schemes as advertised would not be listening to the concerns of the communities.
“However, within the comments received there is evidence of parking problems within the communities, and if and when communities identify potential solutions these could be considered at a future date.”
Councillors heard that 5,323 representations were received, with more than half of them concerning the Tavistock proposal.
In each case, the vast majority of people were opposed to pay and display charges. More than half the representations were concerned about the impact on high streets and to businesses, with over a fifth maintaining that the existing restrictions were effective.
In addition, a petition of more than 3,000 signatures was received from Dartmouth Against Metered Parking and another petition was received from Crediton.
Cabinet member for highway management, Cllr Stuart Hughes, said: “I do hope the decision not to proceed with the proposals for pay and display in the eight towns shows that the county council has listened to the feedback from the public and local members following the consultation.
“It is now open to the communities on how they would wish to address their parking issues so that joint sustainable solutions can be developed in the future.”
The report made it clear that the introduction of pay and display was not designed to create an income but to influence travel and parking choices. It concluded: “Significant objections have been received to the proposals that were advertised and therefore the recommendation is the proposals are not progressed.”