YORK market traders have identified the council's attitude to the market fairly accurately ('What's happened to York market?' April 22), and it is notable that council leader Steve Galloway's responses dodge the issue by saying two million people visit the city every year.

The real issue, which he conveniently misses, is that the market is there, by and large, to cater for the needs of local people buying everyday items which, in many cases, are not going to appeal to tourists greatly.

While there may be two million visitors a year, most of those will simply be here to see the "quaintness", and will not be interested in the market.

It would seem likely that the increase in parking charges has caused many people living in the area around the city, and who used to shop in York, to abandon the the centre in favour of places where cheaper parking may be offered in places such as Harrogate, Knaresborough, Beverley and Leeds.

Perhaps Mr Galloway could commission a survey of those people who live in the area surrounding York to see how many of them used to shop in York but now go elsewhere because of increased parking charges? Or is the council too afraid to do this because they suspect it will prove the market traders right and the parking charges are driving people away?

David Bryant,

Yarburgh Way, York.

Updated: 11:16 Tuesday, April 26, 2005