Budleigh Salterton - in East Devon is the entry to both the Triassic and Jurassic coasts
The Pepplebeds are a landmark feature of the World Heritage site
The picture above illustrates the effect that parked cars and vans have upon traffic flows through the High Street and Fore Street between, at the top end, Station Road and the Public Hall free car park and, at the bottom, Mackerel Square.
Parking is tightly controlled thoughout the distance with copious yellow line markings and an almost complete line of permitted parking (except where there are road junctions). Demand for parking space is high and so the line of parked vehicles is rarely incomplete in shopping hours (9am to 5pm). Surrounding streets are fully utilised also.
Free parking is available at the Public Hall and, temporarily, in the Brook Street car park. Other than this only the on-street parking spaces are free.
The control of parking is very sketchy and a traffic warden is a rare sight. Few illegal parkers get fines. Parking outside permitted zones is paramount and often this leads to congestion as vehicles, large and small, attempt to negotiate the single lane left between parked cars and the southern road side.
Traditionally this area has been speed controlled by 30mph limits though recently a 20mph zone has been added. In the High Street leading to Fore Street such speed controls are superficial because it is rarely possible to drive at more than 15 mph and few indeed attempt a higher speed than this.
Despite this apparent jumble of signs, controls and chaotic parking, there are relatively few serious traffic accidents and most drivers and pedestrians proceed about thier business with good humour. The shop keepers see on-street parking as esential to good trade and there have been traffic surveys that bear this opinion out. Elderly folk appreciate the chance to park near the shop of their choice and there is a good turnover of spaces because of this fact.
Tourists and visitors to the town appear to prefer the charged car parking at Lime Kiln because of its proximity to the beach and sea front and so place relatively little load upon the town parking spaces with one exception. Those visiting the swimming and beach cafe at Steamer Steps do look for parking in Cliff Terrace and in the High Street and Mackerel Square areas and this can cause friction with residents and reduces "shopping" parking in the High Street. The effect is relatively seasonal, however.
Budleigh Salterton residents prize their town shopping, believing that it adds colour and character to the town and improves amentity values particularly for the elderly and less mobile. Therefore they would do well to listen carefully to the needs expressed by shop keepers who will vote with thier feet if demand for retail services reduces through lack of "footfall".
It boils down to this: if we reduce parking in the main shopping streets, so as to improve traffic flows, we may reduce the numbers available to shop in the town and this would be a very bad omen for the future.
"Farmers' Market"
Now we do at last have a farmers' market and the very few worried voices can rest assured that their worst fears have not come to pass.
Shoppers (and we have heard that these come from all around East Devon and Exeter, too) do seem to enjoy the wider availability of local produce and choice.
General shopping in the town appears to be busy an market days.
FOOTNOTE:
In the debate about traffic flows in the town there have been numerous suggestions for ingenious alternative routes, the need for which arise from and proposal to convert the High Street/Fore Street to one-way. Any or all of them encounter problems of narrow access, winding ways and difficult junctions and most of the participants in the current debate have come to independent conclusions that such changes are simply impracticable. No doubt the debate will continue.
Travel by Bus
About the Scheme
The scheme entitles pass holders free travel within most of the UK.
From 1 April 2007, the following routes have been available.
Cross Border Destinations and Services
Route Service Operator Crediton Exeter – Crediton 369/377/677/678/679 Turners Exeter - Crediton 50 Stagecoach Tiverton Exeter - Tiverton 55 Stagecoach Exeter - Tiverton 355 Cooks Cullompton Exeter - Cullompton 1 Stagecoach Exeter – Cullompton 675 Cooks Honiton - Cullompton 694/5 Cooks Taunton Axminster - Taunton 30 First Seaton – Taunton (via Wellington) 20 Cooks Seaton - Taunton 903 Sewards Sidmouth - Taunton 387 Stagecoach Bridport Exeter – Bournmouth (via Bridport) X53 First Axminster - Bridport 690 Cooks Axminster – Weymouth (via Bridport) 31 First Seaton – Westbay (via Bridport) 152 Stagecoach