BRIXHAM fishermen are furious at new mooring charges which will see them paying 13.5 per cent more to keep their boats in the harbour. The people affected are those lone fishermen whose small craft use swing moorings in the outer harbour.

They say their ability to make a living will be seriously impaired by the imposition of the new charges, and they claim there was no consultation before they were imposed.

The fishermen say the charges are extortionate, and represent another nail in the coffin for the under-fire fleet.

The body behind the rises, the Torbay Harbour Authority Board, has so far declined to explain why it has chosen to impose them.

The fishermen believe it may be to bring Brixham in line with the charges levied in Torquay, but in Torquay the mooring facilities are very different.

If this is the case, then it may make perfect sense when seen in black and white on a sheet of paper to level the charges across the two ports.

In practical terms, however, it make rather less sense.

And with the current squeeze on the fishing industry, it is difficult to see how it may make any sense at all.

THE reign of the current traffic wardens in Torbay is drawing to a close.

NCP, latterly NSL, will relinquish the rights to ticket our cars on April 7, and the service will be transferred into the hands of Torbay Council. Amid the change, it is worth looking a little more closely at what this represents.

The council-controlled teams will not be going soft on local drivers, and neither should we expect them to.

As taxpayers we will be employing them to monitor parking, enforce the law and keep the streets clear of illegally parked vehicles.

NCP, latterly NSL, cost us £3million and brought in £3million in penalty charges.

We will be expecting the new service to at least break even, and to do a job that is not always going to be popular. It may be a little bit far-fetched to suggest that we might one day be misty-eyed and nostalgic for NCP, latterly NSL, but drivers expecting an easy ride under the new regime will be disappointed.