Until recently, Tors Road was the only remaining road in the small but busy coastal village of Lynmouth, North Devon, which had no parking restrictions. Much of the village pre-dates 1900 and many of the cottages lack private drives or garages, leaving home owners few spaces in which to park without being charged. As such, the road had become an attractive place to park for those “in the know” including local workers, ramblers, dog walkers and others.
In response, one resident, supported by two others, complained to Devon County Council that they were disadvantaged, as they did not have priority parking outside their homes.
Sounds fair enough, but other local residents and the Town Council are now up in arms – because of the 24 properties in Tors Road, twenty of them are second homes. Many of the properties remain empty for much of the year, only really being used during the summer peak season.
As a result of the restrictions, the part-time occupiers of these second homes are now entitled to park for around 67 pence a week over the whole year, restricting the road’s use by any other locals. Anyone else using the road must pay £4.80 for up to four hours in a restricted area only using metered parking.
Devon County Council says it ran a consultation between 25th May and 16th June 2023 and a copy of the consultation booklet was sent to properties in the road.
However, only the properties in Tors Road itself were included in the consultation process; even the local Lynton and Lynmouth Town Council was not approached.
A local town councillor came across the notice quite by chance and alerted the Town Council. However, the proposal was passed by a single councillor, Councillor Andrea Davis, under delegated powers, who said she had not had any objections from the residents of the road in question. All other objections were ignored, including those from the Town Council.
Devon County Council announced that parking restrictions would commence from March 2025, giving the road’s residents the right to permit parking on specified lengths of the road and non-residents the opportunity to pay for parking on other parts using the town’s first parking meters.