RESIDENTS have been taking South Hams Council for a ride – by abusing a system of cheap parking permits to get free bus trips.

Now district councillors have voted to massively increase the price of Dartmouth park and ride residents' permits from just £21 a year to £100.

The move came as councillors voted to look at how they can hand over the running of the loss-making park and ride to an outside body – with the support of town council, the Business Improvement District and the town's business forum.

At the same time the council's executive committee heard that some residents were 'borrowing' other people's permits so they could get up and down the town for free on the park and ride bus.

The residents' permit system in the South Hams allows car owners to park in car parks for limited hours at the beginning and end of the day and was introduced a few years ago to help boost the economy of the district's market towns.

At the beginning of 2012, it was extended to cover the park and ride so that people who bought the £21 parking permit would be able to use Dartmouth's park and ride car park and the buses to get into the town.

A report to councillors showed that only around 15 people regularly used the permit to access the park and ride on a daily basis, although a number of parents have bought them so their children can travel on the park and ride bus.

For more on this story, see this week's Dartmouth Chronicle