AMBULANCE cover will be provided at next Wednesday's Goose Fair in Tavistock — but the town council will have to stump up more than £1,000 to pay for it.

Councillors on Tuesday decided to finance the service despite criticism by some members that the charge was a 'rip-off'.

The cash go-ahead followed a warning by Tameds doctor Brian Steggles that not paying for the cover would be 'putting people at risk'. He told the council in a letter that if members decided to dispense with extra medical cover he could not support them.

'It is therefore with regret that I inform you that I shall not be providing my services for this Goose Fair,' he wrote.

He would still be 'on-call' for the ambulance service but could not say what his response was likely to be as he would now not plan to be in Tavistock.

His comments came in the wake of a recommendation by the council's properties committee that the charge should not be paid. The committee proposed that instead, the council should ask the St John Ambulance to cover the event.

The committee's proposal also came under fire from West Country Ambulance Services Trust spokesman Darren Gibson who described it as 'short-sighted'.

The trust had asked for £580 plus VAT to provide the minimal cover of an ambulance and paramedics at the fair.

Mr Gibson said: 'It's been free for the last two decades so the council has had its penneth out of us.

'I know Goose Fair is an extra special event but there are many like that — if we did them all without charging, the trust would be bankrupt within six months.'

Cllr Ken Sanders, who at the full council meeting on Tuesday proposed the extra cover should be purchased, said: 'It's belt and braces really. We have asked for St John's as we normally do but they don't have paramedics as such and we thought if somebody was urgently, seriously ill we ought to have cover.

'It seems we have been backed into a corner a bit, but if something goes wrong we would be pilloried — it's better to be safe than sorry.'

Cllr Sanders said enquiries were made of other fairs such as Barnstaple, Bridgwater and Nottingham, none of which pay for extra ambulance cover.

Town clerk Roger Howard said: 'Between St John's and Westcountry we are getting quite comprehensive medical services which will cost around £1,000.'

Mr Howard said he would be contacting the Trust to arrange cover.

But Cllr Ted Sherrell was unhappy about the council's decision.

He said: 'I strongly disagree in paying the Ambulance Trust for carrying out their statutory duties.

'Now we have agreed to do so, soon the council tax payers of the town will be expected to pay towards all emergency cover — police, fire brigade and so on.

'We as a council have made a bad decision for having gone along this path, I doubt if we will ever be able to get off it.'

Medical cover will now be provided by two St John ambulances and the minimum option available from Westcountry Ambulance Services Trust, which includes a rapid recovery vehicle, an officer and additional ambulance. The cost of the cover from both organisations totals £930 plus VAT.

Dr Steggles said: 'Our opinion is that minimum cover is better than nothing but it would have been much more sensible if they had taken the advice of experts experienced in dealing with major events and used the cover we suggested.'

Dr Steggles hoped next year the council would purchase maximum cover from the Ambulance Trust.

Goose fair traffic update:

TAVISTOCK centre will be a traffic-free zone for the fair which is expected to attract thousands of people to the town next Wednesday and motorists have been warned to obey parking restrictions or face a bill of £125.

Any motor vehicle causing an obstruction will be towed away and owners will have to pay a £20 fixed penalty notice and an additional £105 recovery fee before it is released, say Tavistock police.

As in previous years, the principal roads in the town centre will be closed to through-traffic leaving room for the usual variety of stalls and funfair rides.

From 5.30pm on Tuesday until 1am Thursday, Plymouth Road from Drake's Statue to Bedford Square, Bedford Square, Abbey Place, Russell Street, Market Street, Market Road and Canal Road will be closed.

Sergeant Ian Woods, of Tavistock police, said: 'With the combined effects of reduced availability of parking with a greater volume of traffic, some roads will be carrying more traffic than is usual.

'To ensure free passage for all, there will be many additional parking restrictions and residents and visitors are asked to co-operate.'

Orange badge holders were also warned not to ignore parking restrictions as it is an offence to cause an obstruction. Their vehicles could also be towed away.

Traffic coming from Okehampton on the A386 will be directed along Stannary Bridge Road through to Whitchurch Road which will be two-way along its entire length.

Plymouth-bound motorists will rejoin the A386 at Grenofen and Cornwall-bound will turn into Anderton Lane at Whitchurch Post Office to rejoin the A386 on the Anderton Straight — Anderton Lane will be one-way towards Plymouth Road but there will be a short two-way stretch for residents to reach their homes in James Road and Anderton Court.

It will be two-way traffic from Plymouth up to the roundabout at Callington Road and Ford Street as will Launceston Road to its junction with Spring Hill.

West Street will be one-way northbound — usually it is southbound but will change just for the duration of Goose Fair.

Vigo Bridge will be one-way approaching Parkwood Road to allow residents access without the need to go round the whole town. Pixon Lane will be a no through road with access only.

Many local organisations have gone to considerable lengths to provide park and ride schemes to ensure there is adequate parking for all.

There will be park and ride schemes at Yelverton Aerodrome, Kaminski's Field, Tavistock, on the B3362 Launceston Road, Pitts Cleave Industrial Estate on the A386 Okehampton Road and Lumburn Rise on the A390 Callington Road.

All the car parks will be patrolled and there will be a continuous shuttle service of buses into the town centre. The schemes will operate between 9am and 10.30pm.

'You are strongly recommended to use the park and ride schemes,' advised Sgt Woods.

'Tavistock Goose Fair is a good day out, enjoyed by many thousands of people, your co-operation to make it yet another successful year will add to everyone's enjoyment.'

Further information concerning traffic management for Goose Fair can contact Tavistock Police Station on 0990 777444.