A potty; Parking charges likely to increase; and are Blue Badge fees coming to the Hoe Promenade….plus the latest from 'The Captain'.

Parking permits, kerbisde parking charges, and off-street parking fees are all likely to increase in Plymouth's waterside communities. The council’s cabinet meets next week to discuss introducing steeper fees.

And for the first time, the proposals include charges for blue badge parking on the Hoe Promenade, and fees at all coastal car parks (Jennycliff, Mount Batten and Strand Street) for stays of over one hour. 

Resident permits are proposed to increase from £48.50 to £63. And a book of resident visitor tickets is proposed to increase from £23.50 to £30.50

Monitoring Blue Badge parking on the Hoe costs PCC £35,000 per year, it says, adding that it knows many cars abuse the privilege - often using the Hoe as a free car park while heading into the city centre.

PCC, which meets to discuss the fee increases on Monday (March 9) admits: “The Council has also received reports that vehicles are parking for extended periods consistent with commuter use, which is not the intended purpose of this dedicated facility.”

Councillor John Stephens, in charge of transport issues, said: “like most other local authorities, we are facing significant financial challenges due to rising costs and demand and that means having to keep all our charges under review.

"We know new or increased parking charges will never be welcomed but unfortunately they are often essential if we are to sustain the high-quality service our customers deserve.”

…And using the Tamar Tag might see a price hike too

Public consultation has opened on a contentious proposal to increase the Tamar Tag administration fee by 150 per cent.

Everyone who uses the Tamar Bridge and the Torpoint Ferry, whether they are a Tamar Tag account holder or casual user, can have their say until April 6.

The proposal is to increase the Tamar Tag monthly admin fee from 80p to £2. 

Tamar Crossings, which is owned by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council says the move is to help ensure the long term sustainability of the crossings which are primarily funded through tolls and do not receive regular funding from central or local government. .

The admin fee has been the same since 2014 and no longer covers costs, it says.

Have your say:

The consultation runs until Monday 6 April 2026. You can view and comment on the proposals in one of the following ways:

Online: Visit the Tamar Crossings website to view details and submit your comments via our online survey:

Webinar: Monday 9 March from 6 -7 pm. You can sign up to the webinar here  

Drop-in Sessions:

• Tamar Bridge Visitor and Learning Centre - Thursday 12 March, 4pm to 7pm
• Torpoint Council Chambers, Committee Room - Tuesday 17 March, 4pm to 7pm
• Static displays at the following locations:
  • Bridging the Tamar Visitor Centre
  • Torpoint Ferry Office
  • Torpoint Library and Community Hub
  • Saltash Guildhall
  • Saltash Library

Council invites comments on Hoe Neighbourhood Plan

Plymouth Council has opened the formal consultation period to get opinions on the Hoe Neighbourhood Plan. The deadline for comments in 5pm on April 5.

The plan was drawn up by the Hoe Neighbourhood Forum and sets out policies on key themes such as heritage and design, blue and green spaces, pedestrians and transport, housing, and local infrastructure. It builds on current and planned activity and will be valid until 2034.

You can see the Plan proposals by clicking here. You can comment on the Neighbourhood Plan proposals by emailing PCC at planningpolicy@plymouth.gov.uk or by sending a written response to: Strategic Planning Team, Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ. Your comments must include your full postal address.

Going potty for Devonport Naval Heritage Centre open days

Maritime displays have been revamped for 2026 at the Devonport Naval Heritage Centre, which has its first open day of the year later this month. Among the exhibits are a brand new exploration of the Polish Navy operating from Devonport during WW2, and an upgraded Battle of Jutland display to mark the 110th anniversary.

And also on show: a 335 year old pewtor chamber pot that was on board HMS Coronation when she went down with most of her crew off Rame Head in 1691.

The first 2026 Open Day is on Wednesday March 25, from 10am to 3pm. A full list of 2026 open days is online here

Fence-watch!

The Beagle loathes all the "temporary" Heras fencing that blights the waterside communities - so we're calling it out, one fence at a time!

Who owns all this metal - and who decides where and when it is put up, and then never remembers to take it down!

This week we feature the beautiful fencing alongside the entrance to Millbay Marina Village, at Custom House Lane. When was this beauty put in place - and to what purpose? Answers please to contactthebeagle@gmail.com

(Visible behind the fence is Kingdom of Fife - a 60-meter offshore tug/supply vessel (built 2008, registered in Leith). She arrived in Plymouth on February 26, 2026, and is frequently active in the English Channel and near Plymouth Breakwater.

Naval comings and goings...

There was an unusual arrival on Wednesday, when a jack-up barge was towed into the Sound and then on to Mount Batten. The legs will be dropped to anchor this barge and it will then beused in supoport of the new work on the Mount Batten pontoon.

Then yesterday the Belgian Navy’s patrol boat BNS Castor entered Devonport. It's assumed that this is just a routine, operational visit – navies getting to know each other’s capabilities etc. etc.

HMS Somerset continues to be on her training package – here she is seen sailing on Tuesday morning. She is not, at present, due back alongside for the weekend.

Finally – and not yet seen apart from in the distance, the German frigate FGS Baden-Wurttemburg has been busy in the local areas conducting, so it is understood, national training. At a guess, she is just ‘sharpening her ‘war-fighting’ skills before being deployed to the Mediterranean.
She may well be there before HMS Dragon. FGS Baden-Wurttemburg was the lead ship of a class of four of the largest frigates in the world – at 7200 tonnes (a Type 45 destroyer is only just larger).
Unusually for a warship of her size, she is not equipped with any medium or long-range anti-air missiles. This is because the class were designed for peacekeeping and peace-making operations, rather than general, higher-level war fighting. They do have a special forces support and land attack capability. The design allows for long periods between maintenance periods, extended operational duration (over 5000 miles) and above average duplication of vital systems – hence her two islands.

One of her sister ships – FGS Sachsen-Anhalt - was here for FOST training last Autumn. FGS Baden-Wurttemburg arrived into Devonport this afternoon (Friday).

📰📰📰 Beagle briefs:

Rusty Anchor Benches 🪑🪑: Still no sign of any replacements, writes The Captain. The Hoe Neighbourhood Forum Meeting on 25th February discussed the subject and, it is clear that there is some confusion about who ‘owns’ the benches – mind you, if the owner didn’t remove them, then someone else, presumably ‘stole’ them..? This does seem a bit odd, but ‘tis ongoing.

West Hoe Harbour ⛵⛵: The containerised office on the pavement has gone, as has the concrete pumping pipe and the area for the concrete lorry to park on. So, it looks as if the ‘structural’ work is completed and we now wait for the stone walls to be replaced.

Hook and Line sunk 🐟🎣: The Hook and Line restaurant in the Royal William Yard crashed with debts totalling more than £350,000. Five years after opening, the eatery closed in December - and the company running it has now gone into liquidation. Documents filed at Companies House reveal a long creditors list, including many local food and drink suppliers, British Gas, and landlord Urban Splash.