I HAVE been reading the ongoing debate about evening parking charges in the city.

As one born and bred in this city, I have always led an active social life. How on earth have I managed to do this you may ask when - shock, horror - I cannot drive?

How do I manage to shop in the city centre?

Well, I get the bus or ride my bike and another service of which I make good use is the great taxi service we have in this city.

I taxi-share with friends on occasions but mainly I travel on my own. I am sick of all the whingers writing in and complaining about having to pay a few pounds to park (mainly out-of-town theatre goers who are not even council tax payers).

I budget for transport whenever I go out on an evening, as do all the people who go into the city to partake of a little light refreshment. As for the other parking charges which have been implemented, I say thank goodness for common sense. If people want to come into this city then you should have to pay to park.

York this week has been teeming with people, I have never seen Micklegate so busy.

So my message is to all the whingers, is either pay up or shut up!

C Batchelor,

Windsor Garth,

Acomb,

York.

...PARKING restrictions reduce the customer level of any business in the vicinity and, in many cases, can completely wreck them. In 1957 I took over a hairdressing business in Hull that had been trading for 60 years.

I expanded the premises, brought it up to date and employed two staff.

I ran the business for the next 20 years. Despite competition and economic fluctuations it survived.

Then came the day when double yellow lines appeared along my side of the road and restricted parking notices were placed on the opposite side.

Within six months, my business was finished.

From the moment the lines and parking restrictions appeared my business went into terminal decline.

I had no chance whatsoever of selling the business. It was a total loss. About two-thirds of the customers were passing trade.

A service to the community stretching back about 80 years was ruined by parking restrictions.

The action of the Hull city council, with its deaf ears and blinkered vision, also caused five other businesses to cease trading.

I ask City of York Council to think very carefully and reconsider its parking charges and parking restrictions otherwise businesses in the city will disappear much faster than they already are.

K Patterson,

Carrfield,

Woodthorpe,

York.

Updated: 10:09 Tuesday, June 15, 2004