ACTION will be taken in Sidmouth's Fore Street to prevent further damage to its pavements by lorries unable to pass illegally parked cars.

ACTION will be taken in Sidmouth's Fore Street to prevent further damage to its pavements by lorries unable to pass illegally parked cars.

Last week's Sidmouth Herald highlighted the dangers of uneven paving slabs caused by shoppers parking in a loading bay, giving lorries and vans no alternative but to mount the pavement.

There have been several people injured after tripping and falling, the latest being an elderly woman who broke her nose and hurt her hands after a fall by the Black Horse pub.

On Monday, Devon county councillor Stuart Hughes raised the issue with county highways engineers.

Now Devon County Council has told the Herald: "In Fore Street, where vehicles have been overriding the footpath due to illegally parked vehicles, the length of the existing loading bay will be reduced so it does not extend into the narrowest part of Fore Street.

"It is proposed to introduce double yellow lines with 'No Waiting at any time' restrictions and a similar 'No Loading at any time' restriction, but there will be no loss of legitimate on-street parking spaces.

"This has also been agreed with the police and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce."

Mr Hughes said double yellow lines would stretch from Shaul Bakery to Clinton Cards and there would be 24-hour-a-day restrictions on loading and unloading.

He said: "Anyone who parks there will get a ticket, whether they are disabled or not."

He hopes the situation will be resolved in the next few months.

Because the county council is constantly repairing the pavers, Mr Hughes said, from May 19, it would be laying a concrete base, then re-laying the slabs to prevent further damage.

"Hopefully that will not happen when the new traffic order comes in. Having a shorter loading bay will improve the situation in Fore Street.