Regarding the closure of the vehicle access to the Princesshay underground car park from Southernhay East, Exeter, and the installation of bollards/physical barriers preventing vehicles from using this access.
Devon County Council’s published information states that the Princesshay Carpark Access scheme was promoted by Exeter City Council and that the decision was made to revert access to the original entrance on Paris Street, resulting in the Southernhay entrance being stopped up.
Please provide the identity of the person, officer, committee or elected member who made the final decision to close the Southernhay East entrance to the Princesshay underground car park?
Please see the response to question 2 for this information.
I would be grateful if you could also provide the following information:
1. The Exeter City Council report, decision record or other document in which the Princesshay Carpark Access scheme was approved.
Please see this Devon County Council (DCC) document for this information.
2. The name and position of the person, committee or body that made the final decision to close the Southernhay East entrance to the Princesshay underground car park.
Councillor Carol Whitton (County Councillor for St David’s and Haven Banks) and Councillor Yvonne Atkinson (Vice Chair of Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee).
3. The date on which that decision was made.
27th February 2025.
4. Copies of any reports, traffic assessments, modelling, surveys or other evidence relied upon when deciding to close the Southernhay entrance.
Please see this DCC document.
5. Any assessment of the additional journey distance or journey time imposed on motorists who previously accessed the Princesshay underground car park directly from Southernhay East.
DCC does not hold this information.
6. Details of any alternative arrangements considered, including whether consideration was given to retaining access to the car park from Southernhay East while preventing vehicles from using the route as a through-route.
DCC does not hold this information. In the interests of providing advice and assistance, we can confirm that although the option of retaining the arrangements was considered, it was ruled out as unviable due to the inability to permanently sign the arrangement and to provide a route for cycles.
7. Details of consultation undertaken specifically regarding the closure of the Princesshay car-park entrance, including the number of responses received and the nature of any objections.
The proposal was advertised in accordance with the Council’s standard traffic order process: on-site notices, postcards to nearby properties, advertisement in the local press and details circulated to statutory consultees.
Details of the responses received can be seen in the answer to question 1.
8. Details of the cost of the works required to close the entrance and install the physical barriers/bollards, including who funded those works.
DCC does not hold this information. In the interests of providing advice and assistance, we recommend contacting Exeter City Council who carried out the works.
9. Copies of any correspondence between Exeter City Council, Devon County Council and the owner/operator of Princesshay concerning the proposed closure.
DCC does not hold any correspondence with the owner/operator of the Princesshay Car Park concerning the changes.
10. Whether the arrangement is subject to any post-implementation review, and if so, when that review is due to take place and what criteria will be used to assess whether the closure should remain.
No review is planned.
11. I would also be grateful if you could provide the relevant committee report, minutes and decision record in relation to the above.
The delegated decision was reported to the Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee on 29th January 2026.
This information is exempt from disclosure under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means).
The requested information is already publicly available on this DCC webpage.