DARTMOOR was described as ?a fantastic resoucre? by a government minister when he visited Devon this week. Rural Affairs minister Jim Knight he had ?great affection? for Dartmoor, having holidayed there in the past. ?It is a fantastic resource and a beautiful environment. It is important not only environmentally but also socially and economically to the area,? he said. Mr Knight paid tribute to the work of the Dartmoor National Park Authority during his visit to the Higher Moorland Visitor Centre in Princetown. He met members of the park authority, including chief executive Nick Atkinson, committee chairman Nigel Hoskin, head of planning Graham Wall and head ranger Rob Steenson. Dartmoor National Park features in the Government?s new ?Good Practice Guide on Integrated Transport Measures in National Parks? ? which was launched at the visit. Dartmoor National Park Traffic Management Strategy is detailed as a good example of improving road safety and stabilising the growth of traffic. Okehampton station is also a featured case study, the re-opening in 1997 after a 25-year closure having ?helped to improve the economic vitality of the town of Okehampton and its surrounding area?. The co-ordination of bus and rail schedules is praised. Mr Knight said that with more and more people visiting national parks in England and Wales it was important to encourage transport and traffic management schemes which successfully balanced the twin purposes of the parks ? safeguarding their sensitive environment while providing opportunities for recreation and enjoyment. He said: ?After investigating how English and Welsh national parks were dealing with visitor travel and reducing the impacts of vehicular traffic on the environment, some of the most successful schemes have been showcased in this new guide. ?Other local authorities can learn from these examples and are encouraged to develop similar projects to apply in their own areas.? Mr Knight said the government had learned lessons on management of common land, access and transport from what had been done locally on Dartmoor. ?I would like to pay tribute to the Dartmoor National Park?s work, which has been very helpful to us.? Nick Atkinson said the DNPA had ?worked quite closely with county highways over animal accident and road safety measures?. ?Not all national parks have so strong a relationship with their local authority,? he said. In answer to a question over open access from the minister, Mr Atkinson said the park had already had approximately 50% access, and the major task had been to harmonise the different areas. ?One of the strengths of the park is having good people on the ground to negotiate access,? he said. Graham Wall said part of the challenge of the national park was the provision of affordable housing, of which Princetown experienced an excess due to the release of prison staff accommodation by the Duchy. They were working with the Duchy to get a better balance between market price and affordable housing. ?Princetown is improving all the time,? he said. A new brewery building to produce the Jail Ale in the village would provide new employment.