It seems Cornwall Council’s genius plan to finally solve parking problems in Falmouth and Penryn is to prevent anyone from parking - at least without paying.

From its latest parking proposals, planned for seven Cornish towns, the council appears to be dressing up a blatant cash grab as a means of freeing up residents’ spaces and bringing in shoppers.

But you have to wonder how removing all free parking from a town centre will drive business, even with a special 15 minute rate that will allow you to get from your car to The Moor and back, perhaps with time to pick up a copy of the Packet.

While residents’ parking schemes will help to alleviate problems in certain areas, in combination with new double yellow lines and pay and display - at higher than car park rates - they will drive shoppers out of towns and penalise workers who need to drive.

And in Penryn, which is already too full of cars to cope, new restrictions along St Thomas Street and Commercial Road, coupled with more residents’ parking, will only increase pressure on other streets in town.

Residents won’t be able to drive anywhere as they’ll have nowhere to park when they return, meaning spaces on free roads could be blocked indefinitely. Remember, a permit doesn’t guarantee a space.

I certainly hope Bus Lovin’ Bert Biscoe has plans for a new bike parking consultation next, because we’ll be needing them.