THOUGH I am not usually in the habit of siding with Lib-Dem policies, I must admit that Councillor David Harrison is correct (Echo Letters, July 24) concerning the car park in Rumbridge Street in Totton and the fact it now stands half-empty.

Councillor Chris Lagdon (Conservative) on the other hand (Echo Letters, July 30) does himself and his party no favours in his explanation, regardless of the fact he is trying to balance the books by the fact it has forced free parkers into other pay parks in the High Street and Winsor Road.

Whatever the situation in Totton where car parking is concerned (and I don’t live there, although my children do) they are not alone with problems between greedy councils and the general public (and I should know if anyone should).

There is no excuse whatever for any parking space to remain empty because the local councils in their pig-headedness are hell bent on extracting the last pound out of the public purses.

From what I know of this particular situation the Rumbridge Street car park was targeted for payment to coincide with the closure of the council benefit offices in the High Street where many of the staff parked (a case of the devil looking after its own).

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