Westward Ho! seafront parking chaos has ‘no easy solution’

There is ‘no easy solution’ to ongoing parking chaos on Westward Ho! seafront, councillors have been told.

The busier months see local social media awash with residents’ complaints of parking on the double yellow lines on the seafront, typically near the Hockins ice cream van, which people fear will lead to accidents.

In some cases those parked are people with a disability blue badge and while they are parked legally, many social media commentators believe the location is not suitable.

Torridge District Council’s internal overview and scrutiny committee heard recently that ‘horrendous’ parking issues near the seafront in Westward Ho! could be addressed with more disabled parking bays.

Cllr Louis Bach said there are only four or five disabled parking spaces of the 130 or so in the main Westward Ho! car park, which is owned by the council.

He told the committee that anyone who went to the seaside resort or looked at social media would be aware of the problems of people parking on double yellow lines around local streets.

He said many were blue badge holders, who are entitled to park for three hours on double yellow lines provided it is safe to do so and there are no restrictions on loading or unloading, but more suitable spaces in the car park might help the situation.

“Blue badge holders still have to pay in the car park so there is no loss of revenue to the council,” he said.

Cllr Doug Bushby said there were cars all the way along the seafront by an ice cream seller and around the bend.

“It’s horrendous,” he added. “I have written to Devon County Council about it because it causes gridlock.”

The county council has been approached about putting restrictions in place for unloading in the Golf Links Road and Nelson Road areas.

Torridge car park manager Steve Macey said it had been a problem over the 17 years he had been doing the job.

He was concerned that elderly people and those with mobility problems but no blue badge would be pushed back further into the car park if more disabled bays were created.

“There is no easy solution,” he said.

There was no minimum or maximum number of disabled bays that should be provided. Mr Macey said an extra one was added in the car park last year.

Councillors agreed to refer the item to the communities and resources committee.