It seems to me as a casual observer that the numbers in the car parks have fallen dramatically since April due to the increased charges and I believe as a business owner in the town centre the commercial sector has very little control over the number of people paying to park.

The period quoted by the council only extends to March this year and I would be interested to see the numbers for the first six months of the new charges from March to September. I pass the Lovemead car park frequently during the day and also walk through the Church Street car park on a daily basis to visit the banks, and the mass of empty spaces is so evident it is embarrassing. Who wants to pay £1.10 for a full hour for a quick 10 minute visit to the bank?

The ultimate test must be as suggested by David Baker, to try the town centre car parks for one week free of charge. If the spaces remain vacant the council is correct and people are not bothering to come to Trowbridge for shopping and business. But we must also make note of the fact that the roads in the Eastbourne Road/Ashton Street areas and St Thomas Road/Bellefield Crescent part of town do seem to have rather a large number of cars parked kerbside during the daytime.

The good news of course is that as the Wiltshire Council parking services operatives in their little white vans have virtually nothing to do checking the miniscule amount of vehicles that carry a valid parking ticket, the reduction in the numbers of these employees must be a huge saving on the budget allocated for this cost centre.

Mike Prior, Ashton Street, Trowbridge.