In your diary column recently you referred to the electronic sign near the Persimmon Homes housing site on Heworth Green still indicating that there are 80 spaces in the long defunct car park (Diary, December 14).

The sign is actually indicating that turning left at the next junction would take you to the council's Foss Bank car park and others where, presumably, at the time your correspondent saw the sign, there were 80 spaces available.

The sign also indicates the capacity available at other nearby car parks if you were to go straight ahead at the same junction.

While your correspondent's perception was that the sign indicated the closed car park, we have never had this raised with us before.

My assumption would be those who knew of the closed car park and those that didn't wouldn't be looking to turn left into what is now a building site, but left at the next junction.

Nevertheless, thank you for your observations which help to give us a view on customer perceptions.

Bill Woolley,

Acting director of environment and

development services,

City of York Council,

St Leonard's Place, York.

Updated: 11:14 Monday, December 20, 2004