FOLLOWING a public consultation, West Devon Borough Council’s Hub Committee has agreed changes to the borough’s pay and display car parks.

The committee has also requested that Devon County Council proactively consult with it about on-street parking matters concerning the Borough’s towns.

First discussed in November last year, the Hub Committee has agreed to return to pre-pandemic prices in the long stay car park but approved freezing short stay prices to help shoppers and those stopping in the town for shorter periods, to support the local economy.

This affordable parking encourages more people to visit the towns and increases shopping, visiting and dining within local businesses meaning more customers and higher sales for local businesses.

Prices have remained unchanged since early 2021, but high inflation means adjustments are needed to balance financial challenges.

Other changes include Tavistock’s Abbey car park extending from a four-hour stay to a six-hour stay following requests from the community.

Brentor and Lydford car parks will move over to Dartmoor National Park’s management instead of the Borough Council’s.

(Abbey car park currently has a maximum stay of four hours.  Changed to a six-hour charge to allow for longer term parking.)

Cllr Adam Bridgewater, West Devon Borough Council’s Lead Member for Community Services, said: “We want to highlight this decision and the end of the consultation because we want to be entirely transparent. We know that parking is a sensitive subject in our towns following recent events.

“We’re requesting that the County Council has purposeful discussions with us in future on any on-street parking schemes they are planning that might affect the economy of our main towns.

“For our own car parks, we have agreed to leave our short stay car parks at the same prices they have been for over three years.

“The long stay car parks will return to their pre-pandemic prices so we have kept any rises as low as we possibly can.

“We know there was some concern expressed from our consultation respondents that putting prices up may put off visitors.

“Let me reassure you that our prices remain very competitive in West Devon compared to other areas in Devon, which puts us in a strong position for the holiday season.

“All consultation responses were carefully reviewed and we want to reassure our residents that the changes we have decided on were made after very careful consideration.

“We will be investing car parking income across the Borough. This will be used for improved toilet facilities, developing public spaces, along with increasing our installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging points. As I have said before, like everyone else we really are doing the best we can in a difficult financial climate to balance our limited resources.”

You can find out more by reading the full report at: www.westdevon.gov.uk/Hub .

Watch the meeting on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/@westdevonboroughcouncil23 .