Nick Bye: Pounding the streets

On Wednesday, Torbay Mayor Nick Bye donned a uniform and accompanied traffic wardens patrolling the streets of nearby Torquay.

A two-week reduced charge period starts on Monday, with the Bay's car parks costing £1 between noon and midnight.

Mr Bye says the move aims to bring more shoppers to the Bay before the main tourist season begins.

At the moment, it costs more than £1 for any stay of two hours or more.

Parking fines rose six-fold, from 4,581 in 2004 to 28,500 last year - about 80 a day - after national parking firm NCP took over duties in Torbay.

Mr Bye said that despite the huge rise in fines, the council was still making a small loss from parking enforcement after paying setting-up costs, including a new IT system and extra staff.

The council pays £543,000 a year to NCP and is expecting to break even in four years' time.