Councillors in north Devon are thinking of how they can make local parking wardens a more integral part of the community and increase their appeal to both residents and visitors.

North Devon politicians have suggested ideas that include kitting out parking attendants in "friendly colours" and encouraging them to be nicer to the people they encounter while carrying out their duties.

Scrutiny committee chairman Frank Biederman has explained he would like to see parking attendants in north Devon wearing maroon and white, which he believes is a friendly combination of colours that will go down well with people.

The public's perception of these staff is that they are only on the streets to hand out tickets, but the expert suggested this does not have to be the case. He urged all of the wardens in the region to work with a "smile on their face".

"I think that when people visit our towns and resort locations around north Devon it is nice for them to be met with a friendly face with people dressed in a friendlier manner. It should attract people to approach them and for them to be as much an ambassador for the town," Mr Biederman told the BBC.

Another idea is for all parking wardens who are operating in Barnstaple to wear red, as this is the official colour of the town. Mr Biederman wants everything possible to be done to make parking attendants more welcoming and approachable and "not immediately saying this is officialdom".

The report put together by local councillors also investigates the issue of parking in north Devon on Sundays.

It has been suggested that promotions should be used to encourage people to visit by road on this day of the week, while the prices charged to park a vehicle on a Sunday will also be brought under review at some point.

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