Businesses bash Sidmouth parking meter proposals

BUSINESS leaders in Sidmouth thanked town councillors for their support in opposing the introduction of town-centre parking machines.

BUSINESS leaders in Sidmouth thanked town councillors for their support in opposing the introduction of town-centre parking machines.

A statement from Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce members said: “The chamber strongly opposes the imposition of these ugly machines into our town centre and conservation area.

“They will diminish the street scene and add to pavement clutter. Above all, they will do absolutely nothing to improve Sidmouth’s transport problems and will only make parking more expensive and difficult.

“Unfortunately, this is yet another depressing example of top-down dictat, without genuine consultation, without concern for the economic consequences, without evidence and without thought.

“Of particular irritation is DCC’s obsession with the idea all Devon’s coastal and market towns are identical, and, that the same one-size-fits-all transport policy should be applied to Sidmouth as to, say, Holsworthy and Instow.”