The problem of town parking

SIR - I was surprised to see that a car parking on and blocking a pavement was newsworthy. I was even more surprised that it warranted front page attention and a large photograph (The Comet, February 15), such occurrences are surely too common to be taken notice of.

I have just seen an example which confirms that pedestrians and other users of pavements are officially worthy of no consideration whatsoever. I live in an area of Hitchin where parking is restricted to bays for permit holders. Occasionally they are inspected by NHDC parking attendants.

This morning, outside a house being converted, several vehicles were parked in the bays. Presumably they had no permits. An attendant came along and had a word with the people involved.

One of the vehicles was moved onto the drive of the house, it was quite long and projected right across the pavement. It was off the road proper, so that only the lowly types who use the pavement were inconvenienced, the attendant then left.

It is not just drivers who are inconsiderate. Crown House in Bridge Street, Hitchin, is being demolished. About 30yds of pavement have been totally enclosed with boards, no provision has been made for pavement users to get around this obstacle.

NAME AND ADDRESS

SUPPLIED

SIR - Following up on your piece on pavement parking, it is noticeably worse now in Hitchin town centre and in Tilehouse Street where people have learnt that the new parking attendants are powerless to deal with cars parked fully on the pavement.

Only the police can deal with these and it is not their priority so it becomes a growing problem.

A poorly planned and uncoordinated division of labour in the town centre where two different sets of people are now required to do one job properly!

DECLAN O'MAHONY

The Chapmans

Tilehouse Street

Hitchin