The Care and Health Worker parking permit, which allows professionals visiting people at home to park on double yellow lines in certain circumstances, will be improved and made permanent from spring 2021.

Devon County Council's (DCC) Cabinet recently approved the scheme after reviewing a successful year-long pilot.

The scheme was launched last year in recognition that in some communities parking can be difficult to find, and can add to the stress of an already demanding job.

Almost 90 per cent of people asked said that allowing care and health workers to park on yellow lines would make it easier for them to do their jobs.

During the pilot, more than 9,000 permits were issued to care givers, social services and NHS providers working across Devon.

The Cabinet also approved allowing permit holders to park on yellow lines for up to three hours from the spring if they cannot find any other parking, instead of the one-hour limit initially trialled.

The changes follow a survey of permit holders in the autumn – users were asked to review the pilot and to suggest ways it could be improved to help them care for people in the community.

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, DCC's Cabinet member for Adult Health and Social Care said: "I'm delighted that this new scheme will be made permanent.

"Many health and care professionals have told us that increasing the time of the exemption on double yellow lines during the pandemic has reduced stress, staff pressures and has improved their ability to care for people in the community."

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County council's Cabinet member for Highways Management added: "We are now preparing an updated Traffic Order to reflect the agreed changes, and following the legal advertising process we will look to issue new permits after the current annual expires.

"Given that most permits were issued at the start of this year, most holders should expect to receive new time clocks during March and April 2021.

"In response to feedback, it is proposed that these new permits will include simplified terms and conditions, including a blanket three-hour limit on all parking restrictions, including double yellow lines, residential and limited waiting bays as well as on-street parking bays."