A NEW fee-scale for car parking in Tavistock's Guildhall Square car park is due to be introduced shortly.
The car park is owned by the town council which has to replace the old ticket machine. At Tuesday's properties committee meeting, it was decided to try a new payment method.
Instead of 30 pence per hour, a new rate of 20p for half-an-hour and 40p for an hour will be introduced, bringing the hourly rate into line with that charged in car parks owned by West Devon Borough Council.
The maximum stay in the car park will be one hour.
Newly elected member Cllr Peter Donkin said: 'Whilst canvassing, two local residents made the suggestion they felt one of the disadvantages about parking arrangements in the town was if you wanted a very short period for parking.
'I wonder if it would be possible to have a 30-minute rate?'
Cllr Norma Woodcock said the idea was worth trying — she said it could always be changed next year if the idea did not work.
'I think it's something local people would find very valuable,' she said.
'We are not going to lose anything and it should give us potentially even more income.'
Cllr Judith Williams supported the idea provided a break-down could be shown in the accounts to ensure the new system could be properly financially assessed at the end of the year.
Tickets issued by the machine will advertise the Pannier Market on the reverse side — the new system should be in place within a month.