Higher Contour Road, Mount Pleasant, Ridley Hill and Castle Road are all used regularly by non-residents who work in or visit Dartmouth, with the problem spilling over onto Redoubt Road and beyond at peak times. Parking for residents has become even more difficult following the change in the parking charging system at Dart Haven Marina.

Mrs Anne-Marie O’Rourke, a resident of Higher Contour and a member of Kingswear Council’s Residents Parking Group, explained: “When they brought the residents parking in the other parts of the village, they said they would see how it would go and how it would affect us. That was 15 years ago.

“It has made our problem a lot worse. There are many people who park here but work in Dartmouth or sail a yacht and leave their car for a month! The residents who are affected, all live in houses or flats that have a covenant; they must be lived in as their home not second homes or holiday homes, yet they have no parking. Westland Terrace, down the road has 4 off-road parking spaces. There are 10 house there. We have 10 homes and no off-road parking.

“I’ve been on the parking committee for two years but no-one will give us residents parking. We need specially protected spaces. We are not listened to and I think it’s because we’re ex council tenants. If we lived in mansions, they would do something about it.

“The new charges at the Marina haven’t helped; they’ve made it a lot worse. We have a brand new BMW parked up here because he won’t pay the money to park there. I saw the driver go off with his yachting gear.

“We come back home from a hard day’s graft and no-where to park and it’s not as if there’s anywhere else. We have to park illegally on the pavements until somebody moves. A couple of years ago there was a bit of waste land we could park about five cars on. It was on Higher Contour but the SHDC gave planning and the spaces were lost.

“During the Regatta it is even worse. I could not get my car out for 9 days last year, people had parked so close in front and behind. I have an asthmatic son who, sometimes, I have to take to hospital.

“Our parking group used to meet regularly, now we have not met for six months. I get the feeling that we’re being pacified and they are just stalling. I’m not sure they have any intention of helping us. Our chairman, Jan Henshall has been in touch with the council and put forward our recommendations.”

A spokesman for Devon County Council said: “Devon County Council officers have worked with the Kingswear Residents Parking Group and explained how a residents parking scheme may be developed and designed. We understand that the group is to establish the level of support for a scheme among the wider community to inform decisions on whether the issue warrants further investigation.”

Jan Henshall, Chairman Kingswear Parish Council and the Resident’s Parking Group, said: “Kingswear suffers extensively from cars parked on our streets by visitors to Dartmouth throughout the year. Whether visiting to shop or to work, these cars form a regular part of our daily lives.

“It proved too much for residents of Lower Contour Road and Church Hill many years ago and a residents parking scheme was introduced to improve the situation for them but, as expected, it merely served to push the problem further out.

“Now what was a difficult situation has become much worse for residents of Higher Contour Road who had not originally wished to be a part of a Residents Parking Scheme. This impacts on all residents of Higher Contour Road and Wood Lane who have no off road parking facility.

“The residents of Contour Heights and Mount Pleasant Flats on the Higher Contour Road being mainly families with children, jobs etc are particularly badly hit they are obviously required to move their cars frequently sometimes several times a day and often upon return find it difficult to park. This problem is also mirrored on the Brixham Road near Jubilee Park.

“Residents in these areas have asked for a residents parking scheme too and the Parish Council set up the Residents’ Parking Group to look more closely into the subject. This group is made up of councillors and residents and has held talks with officers of DCC regarding the possible options and the associated costs.”

A spokesman for Devon County Council said: “Devon County Council officers have worked with the Kingswear Residents Parking Group and explained how a residents parking scheme may be developed and designed. We understand that the group is to establish the level of support for a scheme among the wider community to inform decisions on whether the issue warrants further investigation.”

In relation to the Regatta, conversations have been held been representatives of the Council, The Regatta Committee and Devon County Council but as yet no resolution has been agreed.

Cllr Jan Henshall continued: “This ongoing problem is made considerably worse during the summer months, but also by the different festivals held in the town. This is a problem which the Regatta Committee at least are trying to address by working together with the Parish Council to find a better way.

“It is normal practise for the Brixham Road and Higher Contour Roads to become a clearway during the Regatta period. This presents those of us with no off road parking with the problem of where to put our cars where we will not be booked. If we are able to do that, then we are unable to use our cars again until the Regatta ends. For those who need to use their cars, as with Contour Heights and Mount Pleasant residents, it becomes a problem of nightmare proportions.”

“Peter Johnson, Regatta Committee Secretary has visited Kingswear and walked the roads with me to try to better understand the problem. We have tried previously to provide permits for affected residents but DCC are not prepared to continue with scheme. Talks are under way to see if a No Parking/Except for Residents scheme (as used in Torbay) will be permitted.”

Peter Johnson responded saying: “The Regatta Committee are very sympathetic to the parking problems for the residents of Kingswear during the Regatta and we have been in regular dialogue with Devon County Council. We have put forward some ideas but the issue appears to be around what is legally enforceable. We are still in dialogue with the Highways Department and have not as yet finalised the parking plan so hopefully a better solution can still be found.”