A SPECIAL public meeting is being held in a bid to thrash out the traffic problems facing the heart of an historic market town.

Earlier this year, Devon County Council consulted Totnes residents and businesses about its proposed traffic calming measures aimed at slowing down cars in the town centre.

The council particularly wanted to find out if there was support for its proposal to narrow Fore Street in three places.

County engineers have drawn up plans for three 2.2 metre narrowings with supplementary ramps alongside which will allow HGVs to pass through but will force smaller vehicles to slow down.

Totnes Town Council would have to foot the bill - of up to £75,000.

Nearly 750 people responded to the consultation but the answers were not clear cut.

The results showed a division in views so the county council is holding a meeting with invited Totnes Chamber of Commerce members, Fore Street residents, town centre businesses and community groups to a facilitated meeting on Tuesday September 13 to discuss how best to improve the speed and number of vehicles through the town centre to make it a safer place for pedestrians and cyclists.

Totnes Town Council is helping to organise the event and a spokesperson said: “It is not straightforward to come up with a solution that keeps everyone happy as there are many different needs within the community, and we must respect the historic nature of our town.

“Devon County Council has therefore asked that Totnes Town Council organise a facilitated session with the chamber of commerce and other bodies who represent groups of interested individuals within Totnes.

“This will hopefully establish and agree on what the problem is that we need to solve and what outcomes we are hoping to achieve.

“To make the meeting as representative as possible, we have invited a variety of stakeholder groups to send representatives. We are reaching out to Fore Street residents as these are currently under-represented.”

Up to 50 people are likely to attend the meeting.

“There are no specific proposals to discuss but it will be regarding the centre of town, namely Fore St, High St and the Narrows,” said the council spokesperson.

“The outcomes of the event will be written into a short report, which will go to Devon County Council.

“This will be used to inform any future proposals for the town centre, which would then go to a public consultation.”

Anyone wishing to apply to attend should email [email protected] with their name, address and who they wish to represent.