More thoughts on parking

It appears that Geoff Farr's letter to the Chronicle about parking charges in Nantwich and Crewe has sparked some interest – see Audlem Online on Friday. The Audlem resident's views about the impact of parking charges has attracted support from Nigel Young, who says: "I would just like 2 pennies worth to the 'Nantwich Free Parking' debate.

"I agree that parking charges are in fact costing Nantwich retailers in reduced trade. I've always been against the parking charges and in fact had to move jobs because of their introduction back in 1995. May I suggest a trial month of free parking, then discuss with the local shops their thoughts on changes in sales."

Another resident adds that he has just returned from a trip in the North East of England and Scotland. Many small towns there were charging as much as £4.50 for parking for a reasonable length stay. In a week, parking charges really mounted up, as did the resentment, hardly an example of the local councils helping tourism, as their greed meant less spent on real local businesses.

In contrast, on a trip earlier this year to France, he says virtually every small town or village provided free parking in well designed, attractive car parks. The authorities there, just as in Audlem, seem determined to encourage visitors to stay and enjoy a visit rather than penalising them with ridiculously greedy parking charges.

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