I REFER to your ‘Free after three’ article (The Hunts Post, October 17) and find it quite laughable that free parking after 3pm is expected to increase trading in the town centres in the run-up to Christmas.

First, I don’t believe people will not want to take their children round the shops with them when some have the potential to do this earlier in the day without their presence – presumably, these will be the very people most will be wanting to purchase gifts for, so their absence will be both welcomed and preferred!

Secondly, I see the (arguably) most conveniently situated car park in Huntingdon town – Sainsbury’s - isn’t included in the scheme. Ridiculous.

We can add to this the fact that the scheme doesn’t run on Saturdays either.

Also, what about those of us who finish work at 5pm? Well, that doesn’t matter, as a majority of the (rather poor selection of) shops close at 5.30pm anyway, so I’ll go to Cambridge or Peterborough for late night shopping.

Granted, I will pay more for fuel and parking, but I’ll be able to get everything I require at once, as a trip to one of these larger shopping destinations would have been inevitable anyway.

MELANIE SATCHWELL

Orchard Close

Warboys