WITH regard to the Union Terrace car and coach park, both York St John University and Labour Cabinet members have tarnished their reputation.

Both parties have been immune to public opinion and that it has taken a groundswell of opposition before they would even tardily start to listen. Unfortunately, trust has been lost.

An independent inquiry should now be undertaken before the future of the site is determined.

The outcome would guide implementation of procedures for the future, to negate the potential of a handful of members of one political party, elected only for the short term, endangering York’s long-term interests by selling off its assets with undue haste, without consultation and at an uncompetitive price.

Our elected MP would demonstrate his commitment to “promote York and provide a first-class tourism service” (Hugh Bayley, The Press, July 30) by initiating such an inquiry on behalf of his constituents.

S Moxon, Water End, Clifton, York.

• WHILE I appreciate some people will be sick of reading about this subject, I wonder if anyone can just clarify something for me. I have read that York St John University asked to purchase this land for expansion. What I would like to know is how come, if the council wanted to sell off this land, its sale wasn’t put out to tender to obtain the best market price?

Can the council effectively organise a private sale for something like this – or have I missed something, in which case I apologise for my ignorance?

In any event, in my opinion none of the car parking or coach parking spaces should be sold off. A lot is being made about how Union Terrace is used by tourists, but it shouldn’t just be about them.

I’ve no doubt there are many local people who use that car park when they are on business or pleasure trips to York – and I am sure there are others who use it instead of the hospital car park for visiting people and for appointments as it is within walking distance of the hospital and is probably less hassle than trying to park on the premises.

Ms SI Dale, Fairfax Croft, York.

• IT IS time for York St John University to do the honourable thing and withdraw from Union Terrace coach park. It does not need to take over crucial parking in order to expand.

It has ample opportunity on its existing campus to relocate non-essential student residences and to redevelop wasteful single storey buildings. It did this with the swimming pool and can do it again.

The vice chancellor needs to recognise that the city cannot afford to lose critical parking and the university cannot afford to lose the goodwill of the people of York.

If the university pushes ahead with its land-grab, there will be much anger and resentment from the many residents and businesses who will suffer from this proposal which completely disregards the financial consequences to others and the feelings of those affected.

York St John University can save its reputation and enhance its standing by announcing it is looking at alternative proposals.

York council can still raise capital if it wishes by selling the coach park as a going concern to a private consortium.

John Jones, Sand Hutton, York.

• I WAS interested to read that Coun Carol Runciman had said: “We should not be selling valuable assets to plug a short-term gap” (The Press, July 29).

For a moment, I thought she was talking about the controversial sale of the Union Terrace coach and car park. No, her comments were about the sale of the DN1 number plate on the Lord Mayor of York’s limo. If only this attitude applied to the sale of all the city’s assets. We seem to be intent on selling “the family silver”.

Pamela Brown, Goodwood Grove, Dringhouses, York.