MIKE Laycock's piece on Hugh Bayley's recent survey of ResPark residents, and Councillor Anne Reid's scathing dismissal (October 20), left me wondering one thing: what planet does Anne Reid live on?

It's obviously one where there are no ResPark schemes (or maybe it's just Woodthorpe).

In her rebuttal of Hugh Bayley's findings, Coun Reid stated that she "failed to understand" how his survey could show that 85 per cent of residents wanted the charges cut.

I failed to understand it too, it's probably 100 per cent. Well, 100 per cent of ResPark residents that is.

I'm sure it isn't 100 per cent of all York residents. Let's face it, why would residents who don't have ResPark want it cut? Our generous donations to the city coffers via the cost of the permit are subsidising their council tax bills!

Coun Reid might understand if she had to pay an extra £84 to the council every year, and it cost her £1 every time someone came round to see her by car for more than ten minutes. If she received only one visitor by car every week for a year, that would be another £52 on top of the £84.

How can anyone involved in this debate actually think that ResPark residents would not want it cut? Why would anyone want to pay more for a service, the running costs of which seem to have mysteriously doubled?

Coun Reid also stated that "Legislation already exists to ensure that any profit from parking charges is ploughed back into transport initiatives". She seems to be indicating that York's ResPark is making a profit. I thought the cost of the permit was only to cover the administration of the scheme for the direct benefit of the ResPark residents.

Eugene Melody,

Markham Crescent,

York.

Updated: 11:12 Friday, October 22, 2004