I HAVE been following much of the recent correspondence concerning parking costs, restrictions etc. with considerable interest and would like to make a few points.

Namely the difference in our approach to town centre parking and that in most large French towns. My wife and I visit France quite regularly and we have to say the differences are eyeopening. We spent several days in the regional centres of Troyes and Arras, both large and busy towns. In both it was possible to park right in the very centre of the town--the equivalent of parking outside Woolworths or the Town Hall for a fraction of the cost here i.e. £1 for 3 hours or indeed no charge at all.

What you may ask was the result of this? Fumes? Pedestrians inconvenienced? No! Lively, vibrant town centres with a wealth of small interesting shops where we bought gifts (money lost to Bolton) for friends and family.

Come back to Bolton and what do you find? Virtually no cheap street parking, with arcane rules applied to a ridiculous extent. Result? A town centre that is dying, with ever more of the interesting shops closing, or turning into bars. If this decline is to be addressed, then the council really ought to take a few "French lessons".

Mr A Snashall

Rigby Lane

Bradshaw, Bolton