MALCOLM OWELL of Foss Street, Dartmouth writes:

We are being asked yet again to consider pay and display meters in the town. This should be resisted most vigorously.

We did so just over a year ago – with the help of the Localism Bill, our local MP Dr Sarah Wollaston, and Eric Pickles the Communities Secretary – when we managed to stop pay and display not only in Dartmouth but in six other towns in Devon.

From May to the end of September most on-street parking in Dartmouth is limited to two hours – and is currently free. Why should visitors be asked to pay for something for which there is currently no charge?

Although on-street winter parking is often occupied for more than two hours, there are some 40-plus parking spaces in the Flavel Place area which allows for a steady turn over of people from out of town trying to park in the centre of Dartmouth. A longer stay means using Mayor's Avenue.

This pay and display proposal appears to make no sense, will not improve our parking problems and should be killed off once and for all.

Any revenue from such a scheme would go to Devon County Council and not South Hams; we townspeople would be unlikely to see any benefits whatsoever.

There is no quick fix to our parking until we find space for another car park and improve the park and ride.