I READ with interest the article on the front page of the February 4 issue of the Standard titled “Business is dying due to parking” – a sentiment obvious to all but those who can do something about it.

The part that struck me most was at the end of the article, where it reports on the council hiring a specialist consultant to carry out a detailed review of anticipated trends in the town and especially Cllr Hancock’s statement that “we are responding to their concerns as a priority”.

Years ago, before I retired, I worked for a firm of structural and civil engineers that practised in Cirencester and was involved in schemes initiated by the Cirencester District Council for a low-rise multi-storey car park in the Waterloo, with consideration of other sites around the town, including what was the lorry park in Kings Meadow and the car park at the rear of the Abbey Grounds.

Whilst working on these schemes I learnt that the practice had similarly been involved in schemes with the council several years earlier.

What I cannot understand, apart from the argument of the archaeology, which has not stopped St James’s Place from constructing the largest building in Cirencester, is why the council keeps saying they are responding to concerns as a priority whilst repeatedly spending good money on feasibility studies with no positive outcome?

Interestingly, also on page five, the article celebrating the 900th birthday of the abbey points out that it was the focal point of a flourishing town, bringing prosperity to the community and attracting visitors from far and wide.

I am not one to stand in the way of progress but must we wait until it’s too late to do anything positive about parking?

As a footnote, I was also interested in Maureen Jenner’s letter entitled “Spaced out” and her solution to move the cinema/student accommodation to the proposed Chesterton development which is just so plainly simple in alleviating the problem.

In spite of the ‘No’ campaign, which I support, I believe that Lord Bathurst will likely have his way in developing the Chesterton farmland so why not also incorporate a park and ride scheme into the new development.

TONY WOOTLEY

Cirencester