MID Devon District Council’s Cabinet has agreed to a full consultation, as prescribed through the Traffic Regulation Order process, of parking charge changes the council has been considering.

In summary the main changes are:

• A reduction in the most used (one hour) tariff price across all short stay car parks

• A slight increased charge on some of our longer stay tariffs

• Removal of some half hour stays in order to increase “dwell time” by the shoppers

• Introduction of more parking stay options in long stay car parks

• Maintain 10 amenity car parks across the district which are free to use

• Maintain a free half-hour parking during the night and a price freeze on pay and display tariffs for overnight, Sunday and Bank Holiday parking

• Frozen allocated, day and night permits

• Reduction in the cost of obtaining a night-time permit from £180 to an annual payment of £100 or 12 monthly payments of £10

• Four free Saturdays in MDDC’s long stay car parks in the lead up to Christmas.

Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Alex White, said: “Any changes to parking tariffs is always a difficult one. The Cabinet has looked to strike the right balance between generating sufficient income to off-set the significant costs of operating our 10 pay and display car parks and offering its residents and visitors value for money.”

All of the proposed tariffs will now be advertised in the local press and on all of the car park boards situated at the entrance to all of our car parks.

It is envisaged that the new charging strategy will be implemented in January 2020.