AT LAST it would seem that action is to be taken against indiscriminate parking by parents on the school run (The Press, February 5).

Since the combining of English Martyrs and Church of Our Lady’s schools, Hamilton Drive and the surrounding streets have become gridlocked twice a day while parents drop off or pick up their children.

They park on blind corners, double and single yellow lines and block driveways.

When the schools first combined, the management at the Railway Institute sports ground in New Lane offered the facility, free of charge, for parents to park within the sports ground and walk their children to the nearby school, a park and walk facility.

Very few, if any, took up this offer – this resulted in the twice daily gridlock.

The head teacher at the new school has tried his best to resolve the problem, but his powers are limited so it would seem that the spy camera is the last resort.

I hope that this will be enforced and parents, as well as their children, will learn a lesson.

AP Cox, Heath Close, Holgate, York.

 

• I READ in The Press of February 3 about the success of the free car parking on Saturday, with large numbers of people in the city as a result.

Then in the next day’s paper I read of the proposal to cancel the free parking for residents at night using a Minster Badge. This leads me to ask whether our councillors understand anything about human nature.

I would not buy a replacement for the Minster badge; I would just change where I go for a visit to a restaurant, cinema or other such entertainments on an evening.

I have no doubt I would only be one of many who think the same. There are many places outside the city walls with free parking only too ready to welcome me, my money and everyone else.

If city-centre businesses see a drop in trade they may close, people will lose their jobs and business rates fall as well.

Was it only last week we read of ideas to get more people into town after 5pm? Left hand and right hand seem to be well out of touch on our council.

If the council wants ideas about saving money, how about halving the number of councillors?

Then have a review of vehicles owned by the council, who uses them and who gets mileage allowance.

Why don’t we see non-urgent journeys made by councillors and employees by cycle, bus or foot as we are encouraged to do? Or is it Orwells Animal farm in action here in York?

Keith Woodland, Galtres Road, York.

 

• IN RESPONSE to Coun Andy D’Agorne’s letter of February 5 concerning the cost to the council of opening its car parks free of charge on Saturday, February 1, I can confirm that the council would expect to earn between £15,000 and £17,000 in parking revenue for one day.

We undertook this exercise to support local businesses and bring more people into the city centre to experience York’s high-quality retail and cultural offer, and the scheme had the support of York Retail Forum and the Federation of Small Business.

This one-off initiative has been hailed as a success by many retailers and residents in attracting people to the city and was undertaken following consultation with retailers and other businesses in the city centre.

It was felt that free parking on a Saturday in February would benefit businesses more, when they are experiencing a lull after the Christmas period, rather than as part of Small Business Saturday in December, when the city centre is already very busy.

Charles Storr, Economy and enterprise manager, City of York Council.