Complaint justified (From Wiltshire Times)

Complaint justified

6:00pm Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Letters

The essence of the complaint by John Lauder (WT, January 20), was that his business in Trowbridge was suffering from the near-universal car parking charges imposed by Wiltshire Council, while the council supported the Lacock Boxing Day Hunt with parking attendants effectively acting as stewards at our expense.

It is clear from the responses by Wiltshire councillors subsequently published that this complaint is factual. Council parking attendants were provided on the holiday, were instructed not to issue revenue-earning fine tickets for vehicles left parked wrongly and were actually there to help to direct the traffic of hunt followers. In addition, there were several traffic-directing police officers, also paid out of council tax. It seems obvious to me that there was favouritism and influence. Surely, by now, Wiltshire councillors are aware of the widespread and deep concern among businesses in our towns that they are facing ruin because they are severely losing trade through the withdrawal of short-term free car-parking. I recall that Wiltshire Council’s justification for its counterproductive move was that it needed the revenue – which was given away at Lacock.

John Bowley, Warminster.