FEARS that a quiet Tavistock street could be turned into a dangerous rat-run were voiced by angry residents this week after they were faced with a proposal to ban parking outside their homes.

The county council's advertised traffic order, restricting parking in Bannawell Street, brought a united response from home-owners — they formed a residents' association and began to challenge the proposals within days of learning about the scheme.

Rob Fraser, secretary of the new Bannawell Street Residents' Association, said: 'The proposals are over the top. It will increase traffic speeds and volume in a residential area, which is an important pedestrian route for people from the north of Tavistock.

'There'll also be an increase in the number of large vehicles using the road, which is the cause of the majority of problems in the first place.

'It's going to devalue properties, cause the displacement of about 40 vehicles which has a knock-on effect for other people — it's going to cause real aggravation.'

Around 80 letters of objection have already been sent to the council by residents and a petition has been raised.

Mr Fraser said people living in the terraced houses had nowhere else to leave their vehicles — and parked cars naturally slowed traffic in the street.

He said any problems caused in the narrow street usually involved lorries attempting to negotiate the road or, occasionally, inconsiderate parking by shoppers.

Normally, neighbours sorted out parking problems amicably.

The cheapest, most simple solution was a sign at the beginning of Bannawell Street banning large vehicles, said Mr Fraser.

'Some people want a one-way system, others would like to see access restrictions, others would like residential parking.

'What we would like is a meeting with the county engineer to talk about this.

'It's upset a lot of people — it seems to be penalising those who live here, for no good

purpose.'

Rob Score, chairman of the residents' association, said he could understand the pressures on the local authority and was optimistic a solution would be found if the groups could get together.

'What we don't want to do is transfer a problem from point A to point B.

'From a personal point of view, I live at the top of the street — it's going to be a nightmare,' he said.

Cllr Norma Woodcock, mayor of Tavistock, said at this week's council meeting that the proposals were 'unacceptable' and unnecessary.

'I really do feel this is going to cause considerable difficulty to the people who live there — I object,' she said.

Cllr Peter Donkin said residents were worried the street, once 'opened up', would become a 'rat-run' and warned county engineers should take notice of people who lived there.

The traffic order proposes no waiting at any time on the east side at the top of Bannawell Street; no waiting between 9am and 6pm Monday to Saturday on the east side of of the street between Bannawell Court and 64 Bannawell Street; and no waiting between 9am and 6pm Monday to Saturday on the west side of the lower end of the street.

Paul Marshall, principle traffic engineer, said the proposals were instigated as a result of police requests, due to obstruction problems.

He said: 'The changes aren't as major as perhaps residents first feared.

'Clearly, they live close to the town centre where parking is at a premium, but certainly the county council is more than willing to listen, take on board their concerns and perhaps work a way forward.'

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