The scheme that allows care and health workers to park on double yellow lines across Devon will be made permanent.

Earlier this year, a pilot care and health worker parking permit was launched in Devon to allow professionals visiting people at home to park on double yellow lines in certain situations.

Care and health professionals who hold the existing permit can currently park in on-street, limited waiting and residents’ parking bays for no charge when delivering essential services to residents in their homes.

But the new permits allow parking on double yellow lines for an hour, but only if there is no other parking available.

At the end of the one-year trial, Devon County Council’s cabinet on Wednesday heard that the pilot has been successful and proved invaluable to care providers during the current pandemic - with more than 9,000 permits have been issued to care givers, social services and NHS providers working across the county.

Councillors unanimously agreed the current scheme is retained and becomes permanent, and that the scheme is extended to permit up to three hours’ parking on ‘no waiting’ restrictions, increasing from the one hour previously permitted.

The permits will have a time clock which must be displayed, similar to ones for Blue Badge holders.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Cabinet member for highways, said: “I’m delighted this new scheme will be made permanent and we will be extending the time allowed in an area.

“Many care and health workers have told us that they struggle to park in some areas, and it can affect their ability to deliver essential services to vulnerable people and adds to their stress, and with the Covid-19 crisis, this has been invaluable.”

A report to the meeting said: “The care and health worker permit has delivered real benefits to its users. Of the 228 responses received in our recent survey, 100 per cent of current permit holding responders want the scheme to be continued as it has made a difference in their ability to deliver an efficient service and improved the quality and quantity of time spent with their client/patients.

“They report that savings have been made and that staff retention and recruitment has been improved as a result of a permit scheme minimises the risk to care staff of being fined when parked when providing care to a client/patient.”