TRAFFIC schemes in Okehampton were put under the spotlight at a meeting of the chamber of trade last Thursday.

At the most well-attended chamber meeting in recent months, Tony Lawrence, of Devon County Council, explained the reasoning behind the latest traffic schemes — some of which have caused concern among townspeople.

One of the main worries came from traders at the bottom of Red Lion Yard who said they were losing business because delivery lorries could no longer park outside their premises for unloading.

Heather Whitbread, of Heather's Florist, said the mini-roundabout and the pedestrian crossing in School Way meant there was nowhere for lorries to park.

'This is having a profound effect on traders,' she said.

Mr Lawrence told her that nobody had a right to cause an obstruction on the highway and provision should have been made for loading and unloading when planning permission was given for the shops.

But he appreciated her concerns and said the matter would be looked into.

'No entry' signs in North Road were also criticised for serving no purpose except confusing people.

Resident Vic Jordan, who owns a builder's yard in North Road, said the road was narrow and there was no space to turn around once people realised they could not get through.

He accused the county council of not listening to the objections which were made when the traffic order was advertised.

The Mill Road junction was given a general thumbs up for slowing traffic going into Fore Street and the meeting was told the pedestrian crossing was put in place so the elderly residents in the nearby flats could have safer access into town.

Mr Lawrence explained that part of his remit was to make the town's car parks, other than the supermarket car parks, more accessible to people and that included Mill Road.

Apart from the spaces provided by Waitrose and Somerfield, there were 140 to 160 additional car parking spaces available in Mill Road and Simmons Park, he said.

He told the meeting that the council was one of the players in meeting the brief for Okehampton's regeneration.

One or two objections had been received when the traffic orders were advertised but the majority were not opposed at all, he said.

His thought at the time, with a new supermarket being a major part of the regeneration, was it was not going to be an easy task finding a solution to manage the traffic in Okehampton.

Many people thought there was no solution because of the existing narrow streets and a traffic signal in the centre of the town, he said.

Hours of discussions had taken place with the Okehampton Traffic Working Group, which was made up of members of the chamber of trade and Okehampton 2000 as well as borough and county council members and officers.

The purpose was to seek to implement the proposals that had been put forward in a regeneration document by independent consultants some time ago and which on the whole had won support from the public.

Encouraging people to use cycles instead of cars was something the council was also being asked to do in line with government policy, hence cycle routes were included as part of the scheme.

Mr Lawrence said the council was trying not to do too much, but to ease things for the people of Okehampton.

'We are trying to make it a better place using the best skills we have got,' he said. 'I appreciate that sometimes we do not always get it right.'

Chamber of trade member David Terry said a bridge to connect School Way to North Street, making an escape route for supermarket traffic was an idea that had been considered in the past and one that he believed would be well supported.

'People will use an escape road if it is a way out of congestion,' he said.

'In this year 2000 we are likely to see the most dramatic changes Okehampton has ever seen.'

He said Peacocks were coming in and maybe supermarket giants Lidl.

'Once we get these national companies in more firms will follow,' he added. 'I do not think we are looking ahead and at some stage we are going to regret this — the growth is going to be phenomenal.'