THE long awaited new parking management scheme for Chagford finally came into effect last Friday ? and motorists are being warned police will be enforcing the scheme with immediate effect. The new scheme follows an extended period of consultation with residents, businesses and local councillors. A special traffic regulation order, designed to be less environmentally intrusive, has been negotiated by the county council with the secretary of state for transport. In line with the order, signs have been designed to the smallest legal size and confined to a minimum. Motorists will be informed where street parking is permitted with marked parking bays, including some dedicated spaces for drivers with disabilities, loading bays, permit holders, buses and general street parking. It will be an offence to park outside the marked bays. MPC Martin Hartnell, traffic management and road casualty reduction officer, said: ?I don?t think this is a scheme which should hit people in Chagford by surprise, it?s been at least three years in the making that I know of and I did say there would be no honeymoon period, which I reiterated at the highways and traffic orders meeting.? MPC Hartnell said the county council had ?bent over backwards? to try and consider the needs of everyone in the town ? and the new scheme actually created at least seven more parking places than existed previously. The new parking scheme in Chagford was devised in response to the increasing number of motorists who have been ignoring previous ?advisory? street parking rules, creating significant traffic problems. Residents in the town have said for years that problems with parking were having a severe financial impact on the town?s trade and commerce. Police officers found the advisory scheme difficult to implement but will now be able to enforce the new parking regulations. Chagford will also be included on all their traffic warden routes. Devon county council member James McInnes said: ?Parking is a major concern to everyone who lives, works and shops or simply wants to visit this beautiful town. ?Whilst it is not possible to satisfy all parking requirements in the town?s confined streets, considerable effort has been made by everyone associated with Chagford to ensured a well-balanced street parking scheme is created. ?I want to thank everyone who has been involved in this process and look forward to a reinvigorated community life that is no longer frustrated by badly parked vehicles.?