With regard to your report on the proposed introduction of parking meters in Okehampton. It is difficult to see how this would improve on the present, time limited, street parking available in the town. In fact, it would result in reducing the number of parking spaces available.

Currently, where on street parking is permitted, all vehicles, regardless of size, park nose to tail and parallel to pavements. This maximises the space available for parking.

If parking meters are introduced each would require a ‘clearly delineated parking bay’. Each of those bays would have to be long enough to accommodate large cars or vans. It is self evident that the space taken up by, say three parking bays, suitable for large vehicles, would be greater than the space taken up by three vehicles of mixed size parked nose to tail.

The only conclusion that can be drawn from this proposal is that it has absolutely nothing to do with improving parking facilities but is simply an effort by Devon County Council to raise revenue.

Okehampton’s county councillor, Lois Samuel, although she must be aware of the public opposition to the proposal has offered no comment other than ‘there will be a consultation into the proposal’. In my naivety it has always been my understanding that councillors are elected to act in their electors interests. I was obviously mistaken.

Sir Winston Churchill made the following apt comment on consultations: ‘One may consult a man and ask him, “Would you like your head cut off tomorrow?” and after he has said “I would rather not” cut it off anyway. Consultation is a vague and elastic term”

Public consultations by local or national authorities, are in most cases, simply a box ticking exercise, carrying little or no weight with the authority.

Charles Letchford, Okehampton