After a recent visit to Witney, Oxfordshire, and seeing letters in your paper regarding car parking charges, I would like the council to rethink their stance.

Witney is a market town not dis-similar to many here in Wiltshire. However, the local councils took the view that not charging for parking and thereby receiving less funding from Government was a good long-term move.

Sure enough, my visit proved it. There were no empty shops, the place was thriving which would mean more council tax revenue, and after chatting to a local shop owner, she confirmed she had much traffic driving into Witney to shop due to the free parking.

After keeping an eye on my watch when parking in Trowbridge and stopping to talk to a friend and have a coffee, I was over by five minutes on my parking ticket incurring a fine. There is no incentive to stop and spend money or browse and this cannot be good for business.

Bella Gingell, Tellisford, Bath.