Many thanks to Coun Dave Merrett who has managed to uncover the truth about the parking meters in Park Grove and other residential streets in York.

The fact that the Park Grove meter (one of two originally installed) has lost so much money will come as no surprise to locals.

To suggest that the meters were put in to help local residents park doesn't make sense - there was no consultation over their installation and the poor income indicates that there was not excess demand for parking in the first place.

At a public meeting held at the time, local residents made it very clear to the one Lib Dem councillor who (bravely) attended that they did not welcome the meters and that they felt they could never make money. The Lib Dem councillor was forced to admit that the introduction of meters and the 100 per cent-plus increase in residents' parking permits introduced at the same time were an attempt to try to plug gaps in the council's budget.

At least local residents now know how all the money they pay for their Respark permits has been spent - on loss-making parking meters that no one wanted!

Matthew Page,

Emerald Street,

York.

Updated: 08:59 Thursday, January 05, 2006