Town council should help make parking free in St Neots

I REFER to the latest logic defying decision made by Huntingdonshire District Council regarding parking charges in your article last week. Having been one of the only councillors to actively oppose charges at the Riverside car park, I can only empathise with the frustration felt by traders.

We all know our high street is struggling and needs every bit of help it can get. Instead of half-baked schemes and confusing charges, simply make it free for the whole town and let’s get people back into our town centres.

Almost every independent study cites parking charges as a major disincentive for shoppers. I know money is tight and car parks need maintaining, however, St Neots Town Council has recently reinstated a quarterly trumpet blowing magazine at a cost of some �10,000 per year.

If this kind of money is available perhaps they would like to speak to the district council and contribute towards free parking in the same way they contribute towards CCTV? Since most district councillors in the town are also town councillors this should not pose too much of a problem.

I am sure if you asked traders and shoppers alike they would probably agree that the money would be better spent on reviving our high street rather than expensive publications that most other councils have stopped because the money can be better spent elsewhere.

STEVE van de KERKHOVE

District Councillor

Eynesbury