A WEST Devon Borough councillor has urged residents to back long-stay car parking increases to help boost town centres.

The council has launched a public consultation on the proposals, after residents called for more short-stay parking last year. The proposals aim to encourage vehicle turnover to give visitors and shoppers better access to parking. It is thought this will, in turn, improve the vibrancy of towns. This improved turnover would be achieved through an increase in the all-day parking tariff, with an aim to introduce the increase before the main holiday season begins.

The increase would mean, for example, that the Bedford long-stay car park would go up from an all-day tariff of £2.50 to £4.

Lead member for communities Cllr Terry Pearce said West Devon’s towns have limited car parking availability. He urged residents to back the proposals and said: ‘We need to take action to deal with the growing number of visitors and also the extra residents due to the ongoing residential development in all of our towns, which is required under central Government legislation.’

He added he believed the proposals would ‘support the retail trading core of our towns.’

The consultation closes on Thursday, February 11. You can take part in the consultation and find out more at: www.engagement.westdevon.gov.uk/parking-consultation