Two coach parking days in the Devon market town of Okehampton are to be made permanent after members of West Devon Borough Council’s Community Services Committee.
Members decided to take on board the fears of residents over the safety of coaches entering and leaving the car park on Mill Road, off East Street and the possibility of pollution. They decided to add a rider to monitor the operation – and to continue searching for a more permanent and safe solution for a coach park for the town.
Three coach bays were painted in the Mill Road car park last spring in anticipation of the 2014 summer season the entrance way made safer by persuading a local business Dartmoor Windows to park in the car park rather than in the entrance way, using permits provided by the council. Following trial runs with 12m coaches, it was decided that one of the three bays was to be removed, giving larger coaches adequate access to the two remaining bays and providing the town with coach parking. Engineers assessed the suitability of the site and a coach driver also worked with the borough council to carry out testing which involved driving onto the site and parking.
Both the Town Council and the Chamber of Trade have been calling for a coach park for the town for 15 years in order to help increase footfall in the town and boost the local economy.
Donna Tombs, Chairman of the Chamber of Trade, said: “It can only be a positive step for Okehampton. We need to publicise it and make the coach companies know that they can park coaches here. We think it can help bring in visitors and more tourist trade into the town.”
