COUNCILLORS Bartlett and Norman (Permits for parking – it’s a safety issue, Letters, March 19) are missing the blindingly obvious solution to excess parking in Leominster streets – cancel car park charges!

You will remember the flawed manner in which the Etnam Street charges were introduced. A consultation period was announced, but before it had concluded, the council installed the infrastructure for the meters which gave the clearest indication that the views of the citizens would be disregarded.

We should also remind ourselves that Mr Pickles has advised councils that parking charges should not be used as a cash cow.

This has been ignored. The charges have been extended to 10pm weekdays and on Sundays, times when the need to control visitors does not exist.

The result is that residents have been displaced by those working in and visiting the town, who are unable or unwilling to use the nearby facilities due to cost.

The car parks, once mostly full , now always have spaces, often in large numbers and town centre businesses have reported a drop in custom.

Instead of creating yet another layer of regulation, with the attendant paperwork and expense, let us return to the time when parking in Leominster was free.

There was little problem then.

LESLIE WILES Kimbolton