RESIDENTS in South Zeal are being asked to give their opinion on scaled-back plans for double yellow lines in the centre of their picturesque community.

Parking restrictions have been on the parish council agenda for some time, to try to solve problems with emergency vehicles being unable to pass due to parked cars.

However, when the original proposals were published back in October, residents objected to the extent of the ‘double yellows’.

The proposals have now been reduced, following a visit from from highways officers at Devon County Council. Residents are being asked to give their approval— or otherwise — for the revised plans by February 15.

Parish council chairman Andrew Sampson said: ‘There’s been a problem with pinch points for generations. Nobody wants to see yellow lines through the village but it is a case of having to. Okehampton fire officers told us that it’s always been a problem through the village, so we really need to address it, particularly as we now have a new school.

‘We’ve really restricted the yellow lines to the bare minimum. It is only in small areas where we haven’t got a choice.’

Councillor Bill Cann, West Devon Borough Council independent member for South Tawton, said that the new lines would be a more subtle primrose rather than bright yellow, to fit in with the look of the historic village – and its location within the Dartmoor National Park.

‘There are several pinch points in the village which are causing the problems,’ he said. ‘It is getting worse and worse, and about two or three years ago there was a survey about the parish council asking people what they’d like done about it.

‘I have to say I don’t want to have yellow lines but we are going to have to because we have real problems here.

‘We have cut the number of yellow lines down according to what people in the village have told us they want. They will be primrose lines, rather than yellow, and they are very thin lines. This is the last bit of consultation and then we will make up our minds.’

The plans were drawn up with the highways department of Devon County Council in response to concerns from the emergency services, that they could not get past pinch points on the main thoroughfare.

The village is also busy at mornings and evenings, when children are dropped off at the school. One of the pubs in the village has offered space in its car park for parents to park, to help alleviate the problems.

Councillor Sampson said there was an issue with residents parking on pavements. There is only one car park in the village at the moment, although a working party is currently trying to find a site for another one.

The revised plans are published online — visit https://sites.google.com/southtawtonparishcouncil.org.uk/ southtawtonparishcouncil/news/consultations Comments should be emailed to the parish council at [email protected] by February 15.