TRIBUTES have been paid to Devizes traffic expert Tony Sedgwick by civic leaders who knew him well and respected his community work.

Mr Sedgwick died aged 79 in July after a long battle with illness. A thanksgiving service was held at St James Church, Devizes on July 24 when people were encouraged to wear bright colours.

Devizes Mayor Andy Geddes and Devizes Guardian chairman Nigel Carter praised the significant contribution he made to the community over 20 years.

In a joint statement they said: "Assuming the chairmanship of the Devizes Community Area partnership (DCAP) in the early noughties, he energised working groups dealing with sustainable transport, community safety, the built environment, the countryside and other topics to develop local policy as a basis for helping Kennet District Council and then Wiltshire Council in developing relevant community strategies.

"A transport management specialist, he was particularly active in challenging the councils to improve traffic management in pursuit of improved air quality. He was a significant antagonist of some rather irrational statistics relating to vehicle movements into the town and the subsequent erroneous conclusions around parking demand.

"Uncompromising in negotiations, he won respect for his diligent research, professional insight and, of course, his wider leadership of DCAP. He is deserving of our appreciation."

At his funeral money was collected for Dorothy House Hospice and Cress UK.

Mr Sedgwick's predictions about Devizes traffic problems have proved only too real. In 2006 he warned that the heavily congested gateways to the town along London Road and Caen Hill would end up in total gridlock.

He also called for more to be done to provide parking close to shops. He said at the time: "Devizes serves a rural environment and there is no alternative for many than to travel by car. If people aren't able to park their car close to where they are doing their shopping, they will buy less."

His thanksgiving service was held in the week when roadworks started in London Road and the town's final submission on car parking in the Market Place went to Wiltshire Council.

Mr Sedgwick, who lived in London Road, was traffic adviser to the Trust for Devizes and spent over 30 years in the parking industry.

In 1971 he helped design the first pay-and-display ticket machine and later set up his own business, manufacturing hand-held computers for parking attendants. In 1996 he was president of the British Parking Association.