Parking mad

I AM appalled at the proposal that HDC should fix car park hours so that local people working in Huntingdon can get free parking, while local people working in London will be forced to pay. If adopted, this would clearly be discrimination of a most divisive and nasty sort.

Neither group of workers is to blame. They are only trying to get to work.

The real problems are an increase in population, no spare capacity at the railway station (so they can charge what they like) and the building of new office blocks without parking. Of the latter, the most notable is the Luminus Group, which built on its own car park and now has the cheek to use the Riverside car park as a depot for its vans (I counted 13 at once one recent Wednesday).

Thanks to local people and councillors, an attempt to correct this by taking over a football field failed.

In consideration of the London workers - I'm not one of them - these hardy souls already travel up to four hours per day, most of it on foot and public transport. Do we really want to add to that? More (expensive) parking at the station isn't the answer. If some people are willing to park and walk, let's work with that.

I have seen mention of a park and ride scheme for north-east Huntingdon at Hartford roundabout, but it doesn't seem to have gained favour. It need not be grand. The Riverside car park could remain free, but short stay.

A similar size free car park at Hartford roundabout with a bus at peak times could take workers round the ring road within easy walking distance of the station and offices. Some may even choose to walk. It would save congestion and pollution on the ring road and encourage exercise.

Until we have alternative parking, I think the only change we should make now is to ban 24-hour parking and commercial vehicles from the Riverside car park. Shoppers can at least get low-cost parking. Workers have nowhere else to go.

Dr JOHN CASSELLS, Thicket Road, Houghton