A SHAKE-UP of a controversial parking scheme for traders in the city is being proposed.
The scheme, which was brought in by the county council around 18 months ago, requires contractors to apply at least 24 hours in advance for a permit to park in residents' zones.
It infuriated the city's county councillors because it was introduced with no consultation.
Now the parking dispensation scheme is to be discussed at the Exeter and Devon joint highways committee (Hatoc) and four options are on the table:
Stop the scheme altogether;
Keep it as it is;
Introduce a permit valid for six or 12 months which would include a time clock allowing three-hour parking similar to the blue badge scheme for disabled people;
Issue booklets of 30 scratch cards to display in vehicles, with tradespeople able to buy further booklets as necessary.
Officers are recommending that the fourth option is adopted, claiming it is a simpler and more flexible.
However, landlord Bryan Lee said the scheme should be dropped.
He said: "The fact remains that at certain times, especially during vacation periods, landlords and contractors need to park near relevant properties.
"I, and most contractors, work at least an eight-hour day, so a three-hour limit on parking isn't much good other than for an emergency repair or other small job.
"The county council got itself into a mess of its own making. "Problems associated with landlord and contractor parking are very minor, so why use a hammer to crack a nut?
"I still consider the county council should just admit it made a mistake and just quietly drop any plans to regulate parking for owners and contractors."
If a scheme must be introduced, Mr Lee thinks the scratch card option would be the best.
Jill Owen, county councillor for Priory and St Leonard's, has been critical of the scheme since it was introduced, believing it was unworkable.
Cllr Owen said: "It should not have taken this long to be brought to Hatoc, and hopefully now we can arrive at a common sense solution.
"There are two sorts of people affected by this. There are the residents who were allegedly annoyed by tradespeople abusing residents-only parking spaces and tradespeople who need to get on and do their job.
"This scheme was never workable as tradespeople often visit more than one property a day and sometimes need to do so at very short notice."
Fellow county councillor Olwen Foggin, who represents Heavitree and Whipton Barton, said: "I think the whole thing should be scrapped, and if contractors need to park in residents' only parking then they can put a notice in the windscreen, saying where they are working. That worked before."
The options will be discussed by highways committees across the county, with the recommendations being referred to Devon's cabinet for a decision.
