PARKING meters should be installed in Tavistock and Okehampton 'as soon as practicable' — that is the recommendation by Devon County Council, which is to launch a consultation exercise by the middle of next month.

But the idea is already falling foul of business leaders in the towns, who claim it will drive customers away.

The move will affect all streets in town centres where parking is currently time-limited. The county believes it will stop parking abuses and be easier to enforce — the move, although controversial, has already proved popular in Totnes, despite initial objections.

Nigel Eadie, chairman of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce, said parking management had been a problem in the town at one point, but now the borough council's civil enforcement officers were fully in control, town centre parking was not an issue.

He said: 'The best option for us is a well-managed car parking enforcement policy, which at the moment, we have.

'Having time restrictions and having to pay for parking until 6pm is a bad idea and I think it will be anti-business. If the restriction was between say, 10am and 3.30pm, that would be more acceptable but at the moment, the way it's being managed, there's not a problem.

'We welcome consultation, when hopefully we can clearly explain our position, but I would have said this is less about congestion and pollution and more about income generation.'

Cllr Debo Sellis, the county member for Tavistock, said the move had been 'on the cards for ages' and admitted the council was now acting 'rather swiftly'.

'It's designed to improve parking management,' she said.

'It will apply Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm and the maximum stay will be for an hour.'

Cllr Sellis said it was difficult to enforce on-street parking currently, as it required two visits by a civil enforcement officer — the new system would only need one visit.

She said the county believed it would be more efficient, increase turnover of available parking spaces and benefit local businesses by increasing the number of 'pop and shop' customers, who would take advantage of the free 30-minute parking period. The authority also claimed it would ease traffic congestion and lower air pollution in town centres.

Cllr Sellis said: 'I have spoken to the member for Totnes, where they were really resistant to it, and she's been absolutely thrilled by it.'

Cllr Sellis said abuse of on-street parking was a problem in Tavistock, which she 'sincerely hoped' would be helped by the move, although she did have reservations.

'I am concerned about the look of them, because the town centre is a conservation area and we have enough signage all over the place as it is,' she said.

Ian Bailey, chairman of Okehampton Chamber of Trade, was cynical about the county council's claims: 'My feeling is that it will put people off coming and shopping in town, rather than the opposite.

'In the current climate we need to encourage every one single person, and if they hear there are parking meters, which people have set ideas about, it will be off-putting.

'People's perception of parking meters is that they are not friendly, and that's the opposite to what we want.

'We welcome the public consultation — but whether they take any notice of what we have to say is another question.'

Chairman of Devon County Council and Okehampton town and borough councillor Christine Marsh said: 'It is something that we are looking at, which we hope might stop some of the complaints we are having regarding people parking in streets all day.

'The county council has expressed a view that parking meters will help shopkeepers because there will be a larger turnover of cars and subsequently shoppers in the town.

'I sympathise with people who are working because they cannot afford the car parking fees but I can see both sides of the argument.'

A Devon County Council spokesman said: 'Schemes will typically transfer existing areas of limited waiting to pay and display, largely mirroring existing hours of operation and time restrictions, in core areas.

'In recognition of the current economic circumstances, consideration will also be given to introducing new town centre pay and display schemes on the basis of free parking for the first 30 minutes.

'In communities where schemes are being put forward, local county council members have been consulted, ahead of the proposals being advertised.

'The intention is to advertise the next tranche of schemes by mid-November, which will provide town councils, the local chamber of commerce and local residents with the opportunity to respond.

'Details for anyone wishing to view and comment on the proposals will be contained in the advert and their views will be taken into account before any final scheme is implemented.'