WE SHOULD be told how much the recent “free parking day” has cost the council purse – then a proper business case could be made for a range of more imaginative costed options to support city-centre business when the new Monks Cross stores open.

How ironic the comment from one shopper that they were unaware of free parking and used the Park&Ride.

If James Alexander is serious about tackling congestion and pollution, any parking bonanza should be matched with discounted or free Park&Ride services.

Recent scrutiny suggestions to bring forward to 5pm the start time for free residents’ parking were met with the demand for “a business case” (in terms of council revenue).

Traders, bus operators and council officers should sit down together and review the whole system.

We should cost up a free electric shuttle bus linking the station, Museum Street, Marygate car park, York Hospital, York St John, Foss Islands retail, the Barbican, Piccadilly, and West Offices (Tanner Row) – as this works well in places such as Sheffield. Initially it could be trialled just on Saturdays, or during the Tour de France celebrations.

Coun Andy D’Agorne, Green Party, Broadway West, York.

 

• FULL marks to the council task group which recommended that City of York Council could introduce free parking to residents, from 5pm to midnight, in an effort to stimulate business (The Press, January 29).

Perhaps the council might now realise that you cannot keep on using visitors and residents as a cash cow for ever. Hard-working businesses keep York running and allow the council the privilege of council, salaries and pensions.

At Clifford’s Tower there are 322 spaces. At £2.30 this can net £740.60 an hour. They could well increase this if, like German cities, they build underground parking right in the city centre. I should like to ask them to also consider further improvements:

1. Stop the present parking rip-offs. Start charging by the minute as you never get your full hour, so 45 minutes equals £3.06 per hour.

2. The spaces are far too tight between cars and rows and need redesigning with easy entry/depart angles.

3. Give somebody a job to take payment on exit (surely it would be cheaper than all the pay-station costs so you don’t have to rush back to the car instead of spending money in the shops.

Keith Massey, Mill Lane, York.