CALSTOCK Parish Council is to get tough on drivers parking on the parish quay and blocking the slipway.

The actions of some motorists has been causing a major inconvenience to people wishing to launch their boats.

The council decided this week to go down the route of purchasing 'a problem parking kit' which involves a private company enforcing fines — but enforcement will be a last resort.

Signs will be erected at the two locations to try and prevent people parking and causing an obstruction.

If this does not work, warning stickers will be placed on their cars. Parking charge notices will then be issued if all else fails.

The idea was suggested by council chairman John Roberts at last month's meeting, but a decision was delayed until enquiries were made with the police to see if they could do anything about the situation.

Cllr Roberts this week told fellow council members that he had spoken to police headquarters at Middlemoor, who said officers did not get involved in enforcement on private land.

He had also spoken to solicitors regarding the parking firm the council had chosen.

'We need to make a decision tonight because we are on the break of the school holidays when the problems could be at their absolute worse,' he said.

'One evening recently there were two vehicles parked across the slipway, so if someone wanted to launch a boat they couldn't.

'It has gone on long enough, we either do something about it or ignore it.'

The problem parking kit costs £95 and involves the council putting up signs and placing warning stickers and parking charges notices on cars.

It is up to the parking firm to enforce the charges if the council decides to issue any notices, and the fine would be £60.

Cllr Dick Hoile said the problem should be dealt with in two phases — firstly with the notices and if that did not work, the parking tickets.

There was some concern over who would issue the notices, as it was felt it would not be fair on Calstock members or the council's workman who also lived in the village.

Cllr Rachel Puddiphatt and Cllr Dorothy Kirk said there needed to be someone assigned to do the job.

They said action should be consistent and not done on an ad hoc basis because that would be seen as 'an injustice'.

With many people involved in rowing or owning a boat in Calstock, Cllr Mike Greenwood said it would soon become evident that parking on the slipway and parish quay was not a good idea.

Cllr Greenwood said: 'I think there will be adequate warning before we get around to issuing tickets and there is a fair chance that with most people, this will work.

'Let's purchase the kit and try the softly softly approach and then we can come back to it if it does not work.'