WHEN any political group suddenly claims it is taking note of public opinion and does a complete u turn on one of its policies it can mean only one thing – there is an election in the offing. I do not share the optimistic view of the Ely Traders Associ

WHEN any political group suddenly claims it is taking note of public opinion and does a complete 'u' turn on one of its policies it can mean only one thing - there is an election in the offing.

I do not share the optimistic view of the Ely Traders Association, that parking charges are a thing of the past. Brian Ashton, the group spokesman, has already ensured that there is a 'get- out clause' and charges can be levied if money is wanted for a specific project; it is also a fact that a policy decision by one elected council cannot be binding on any future council.

The proposed area for the commuter park is some distance from the station and is as far away as most of the streets in the area where anyone can park for free, so what is the advantage of paying for a parking space?

The real losers in such a scheme will be Ely traders themselves or, to be more specific, their employees who travel to work in the city, as they will have fewer long-term parking spaces within easy reach of their workplace, so will need to park on the street. I do not agree with the alternative, that is co-operation with Network Rail, as commuters will be at the mercy of an outside company who can impose whatever charges they wish.

The answer would be to reorganise the present city centre parking and ensure it is regularly policed to ensure compliance with time limits.

It seems that Mr Archer, as one of our council employees, feels that more people should visit the city centre on foot or on cycle. Has he ever examined the streets in the centre and the type of person who shops in Ely? Most are elderly and others are young mothers with children in buggies neither of whom could use bicycles and carry shopping home.

The streets are extremely dangerous because of uncontrolled parking and road narrowing. Anyone riding a bicycle in High Street or along The Gallery or Broad Street finds that no motor vehicle can pass unless they do with only inches to spare and impatient motorists driving close behind attempting to force the cyclist to move

Perhaps the cycling message should be started rather closer to home, at The Grange, because the expensive bike shed has only had a maximum of five cycles in it at any one time and there was around 60 cars in the car park.

PHILIP GOULD

Dovehouse Close

Ely