PRINCETOWN businesses and residents received good news this week over a proposed parking plan on Tavistock Road. Through an initiative led by Dartmoor Forest Parish Council and aided by the Dartmoor National Park Authority and Devon County Councillor Philip Sanders, agreement has been reached on the way forward for new parking restrictions in the centre of Princetown. Currently vehicles can legally park outside the shops for an unlimited period, which sees some visitors leave their cars all day while they go walking or cycling on the moor. Parish clerk Nigel Tigwell said: 'The problem has been recognised by the parish council, businesses and residents since 2011, but it has been difficult to get Princetown's problems noticed when more significant traffic and parking problems exist elsewhere. 'The position has become worse since the national park began compulsory charging for parking behind the High Moorland Visitor's Centre last August. 'The all-day parking fee is only £1, but some visitors choose to avoid paying and the village has suffered from displaced parking ever since. 'A petition for parking restrictions in Tavistock Road started by the parish council in April collected 84 signatures from post office customers in the first day.' The proposal will see white parking bays marked out on Tavistock Road in which parking will be limited to 30 minutes with no return for two hours in front of the shops. Double yellow lines at the junction with Bellever Close will be extended to improve safety for cars turning out of the junction and provide a parking facility for disabled blue badge holders, who are permitted to park on the yellow lines. Similarly, the single yellow line at the junction with Two Bridges Road will be upgraded to double yellow lines. The redundant taxi rank established for the former pony and trap 'taxi' will be removed and the space included in the bay parking area. Double yellow lines will also be extended past the primary school entrance in Bellever Close to improve road safety for the children. Both Mark Renders, owner of Princetown Post Office and Stores, and Katrina Webb, owner of Moor Beads, have noticed a dramatic drop in takings when there was no parking available, and welcomed the news of the parking bays. Mr Renders, who at one point resorted to putting a notice board outside the post office door asking drivers to leave the space available for elderly and disabled customers, said: 'This will help local people, especially elderly people who can't go further afield and want to use local facilities.' Mrs Webb said: 'The parking issue has been problematic, as a lot of people are disabled and that bit of parking along the shop front means they can get to the post office, to Lord's Café or come and see me. 'The introduction of parking bays will benefit local people and visitors as for 30 minutes they can get free parking and it will discourage people parking their car or huge motor homes all day to go walking.' It is hoped the parking scheme will be in place in around four months, but first it has to be advertised, there will be a public consultation and the legal documentation has to be approved. Mr Tigwell added: 'If all goes well, customers will find convenient access to the shops and disabled blue badge holders will be able to park close to the post office and the Creativity Centre — leaving both traders and residents breathing a sigh of relief.' County councillor Philip Sanders said: 'I have been working closely with the parish council and Devon County Council and the national park to improve the situation for the businesses in the centre of Princetown. 'We have developed a scheme to introduce some parking bays and we hope this will go some way to solving the problem. 'There is never one simple answer to these issues but I hope this will improve it substantially.'