BOURNEMOUTH council have refused planning permission for a 30-space car park in the town centre as it conflicts with “its policy to restrict the number of public parking spaces in the borough”. A Boscombe car park has recently been built on. Southbourne traders have been advised that two local car parks were under-used and may be built on.

The council has now introduced 24-hour charges on their car parks. These have under-road counters. It is likely that heavy usage during a 12-hour day will drop to less than 50 per cent over 24 hours.

The council will use this under 50 per cent usage as grounds for building on the car parks. In mitigation the council has over 5,000 persons on their housing waiting list and a need to find land. But where new flats/town houses are built, they rarely have off-road parking for all owners. Shops, churches and halls are finding it increasingly difficult for users to find places to park nearby when shopping or attending services /events. Hence a need to retain car parks, with sensible charges, not increase the pressure on often scarce but free on-road parking not covered with yellow lines.

JONATHAN CLARK, Dingle Road, Bournemouth