town councillors have agreed to oppose in principle the introduction of on-street parking charges to Tavistock.

There is also a suggestion subsidised bus services in Tavistock might be cut unless parking charges are brought in, with the revenue to helping support the routes.

Devon County Council has indicated it will bring in parking charges, sparking opposition from traders and the public who say it will damage the local economy.

The council agreed at a full meeting to support the traders’ organisation BID in its campaign to cancel the idea and to write to the councy council to formally object to it. The town council is also asking for more details, so the implications can be fully debated.

Tavistock town councillor Lesley Crawford, said: ‘It appears bus routes could be at risk due to funding issues. Some buses in Tavistock are poorly used. But if any subsidised bus services were cut due to funding being withdrawn a lot of vulnerable people will be isolated in their homes.’

Cllr Mandy Ewings asked the county council to tell the town council which subsidised bus routes were likely to be at risk if funding was to be withdrawn, if it was linked to car parking revenue.

She added: ‘I’m totally opposed to on-street parking charges. This will affect town centre residents as well as workers. The situation is already unsuitable with workers parking all day in Down Road, for intance. Charging will force them to park even further away on residential streets.’

Cllr Mann said parking meters would be too ugly for the heritage area and would be obstacles on narrow pavements.

She added: ‘The bus services are under funded as it is and some subsidised bus services are not good enough. Therefore, to be asked to sacrifice our high street for this situation makes the idea even worse.’

Cllr Debo Sellis, county council member for Tavistock, is opposed to the parking charges and assured town councillors she was doing all she could to find more details.

She said: ‘I can assure Tavistock council that I am doing all I can to find out the details. I know it doesn’t sound good that I don’t know much more than anyone else.

‘But I have been advised that on-street car parking charges will most likely be brought into areas of Tavistock which have, so far, escaped. I have resisted this since 2010.

‘However,I have told officers I will not act unitarily to impose this onto Tavistock.

‘Consultation and sitting round the table is the way forward.’

She is planning a public meeting to debate all parking management issues (including car parks and residents’ permits), to include county officers, Tavistock BID, the emergency services, borough and Tavistock town council members and chamber of commerce. She advised there might be ‘unpredicted’ consequences of resisting the idea unless the full facts were known.