A package of proposals aimed at solving parking issues in Tavistock will be put to West Devon councillors next week ? including schemes which may herald the introduction of parking meters and an extended relief road around the town. Tavistock Parking Focus Group, including representatives from the borough, town and county councils, was set up to try to maximise parking facilities in the town now and in the future. In its report to West Devon Borough Council?s environment committee next Tuesday, the group proposes a large £100,000, 200-space public car park be built on town council-owned land at Pixon Lane ?as soon as possible?. It also wants a new transport link to be investigated between the town centre, the new car park and Riverside car park. Additionally, the group will ask Devon County Council to consider implementing a residents? parking scheme in Bannawell Street, Chapel Street and Parkwood Road. Enforcement of the scheme could either be paid for by a high residents? charge of between £100 and £200 per annum, or a low charge and the imposition of parking meters elsewhere in Tavistock. The group will also request an extension of the Tavistock relief road via Pixon Lane. Cllr Roy Connelly, Tavistock?s county councillor and a member of the focus group, said:?As far as parking is concerned, the option to do nothing just isn?t there ? we have to do something, because car use is going to increase, we have all the extra housing that?s coming into the town and we are trying to attract commercial activity.? Cllr Connelly said the group had done ?a lot of blue sky thinking? and he felt residents would welcome several of the proposals, particularly residents? parking and a relief road, though this would be costly and need to be included in the county?s local transport plan. It would now be up to the three councils to discuss the suggestions. ?The important thing is on the group, we have representatives from the three authorities talking together,? said Cllr Connelly. The residents? parking proposal was discussed by members of the town council?s finance committee last week. Roger Howard, town clerk, said the committee had given ?qualified approval? to the idea: ?Generally, they were not averse in principle to a residents? parking scheme funded by on-street parking charges ? provided they have a say in implementing it.? The full council was due to ratify the decision as the Times went to press on Tuesday. Col Howard said generally, the council backed the idea of an extension to the relief road ? but the proposed car park for Pixon Lane had not yet been debated in detail by members. David Scrivener, chairman of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber accepted residents sometimes faced problems in parking their cars. The chamber had suggested to the focus group that if parking meters were introduced, there should be free parking for half an hour, with a charge for one hour maximum for an on-street space. ?My understanding is if we had this sort of scheme, we could employ more traffic warden time, to the benefit of Tavistock overall, as car parking would flow more freely,? said Mr Scrivener. John Taylor, chairman of Tavistock Forward, welcomed the focus group?s recommendations: ?I think it?s very encouraging they are starting to look at parking in a comprehensive way, rather than piecemeal. And although no-one likes to pay for on-street parking, it would give a faster turnover of spaces.?
