KEEPING 30 minutes free limited parking around shops in Chudleigh is vital, say councillors.

So is continual enforcement, Monday's monthly meeting of the town council heard.

But it had no control over the time of stay and payments in the Teignbridge Council owned car park, which would be kept in line with other parts of the district.

Debating charges and car park and on-street enforcement, members heard in a letter from the district authority's environment standards manager, Sue Edwards, that the 30 minutes and first hour of parking provided 33-35 per cent of all revenue in the Chudleigh car park.

Some 60 per cent of motorists stayed for an hour or less.