I WAS horrified to learn of the council's plan to put parking meters on Fossgate. Surely this delightful street, home to many small business, deserves to be incorporated into the pedestrian area?

I expect City of York Council will also think it appropriate to drill these meters into the wide granite kerbstones that line the street. The only alternative being to site them in the middle of the narrow path. Whatever happened to the council's aim to free us of street clutter?

Putting parking meters on Fossgate is also at odds with the council's stated aims in the Local Transport Plan.

They claim to have as "a priority the improvement of air quality, safety and car congestion" and aim to "reduce the reliance on the private car while improving accessibility to other more sustainable modes" (of transport ).

The plan also states: "One of the benefits of freeing up road space in the city centre.... will be the encouragement of cycling, particularly amongst more 'timid' residents."

Seems as if this is yet an other case of fine words buttering no parsnips, as my mother used to say. She also said actions spoke louder than words.

Jack Hughes,

Castlegate, York

Updated: 10:56 Thursday, August 11, 2005