FOR the Cotswold District Council (CDC) to say that only now are they looking into the shameful issue of parking in Cirencester is a disgrace and simply goes to highlight the woeful ineptitude of the elected members.

You do not need to spend money on a survey to know that the current problem is a direct result of the St James’s Place parking having been removed.

A few minutes spent each morning at the entrance to both Old Station car park and Sheep Street car park will see their employees streaming in.

I have video footage to prove it. Both car parks are full by 8.40am. The additional housing on the edge of town has simply exasperated the problem and it’s beggars belief that the council could have given permission for both these developments to go ahead without ensuring that they had properly considered and resolved the inevitable shortfall in parking. It is not rocket science.

We (at Steppes Travel) have 36 people employed in Cirencester with a constant stream of visitors who usually have to try two or three car parks before finding a place.

Every day we receive calls from people apologising that they will be late.

Does the council actually want business to thrive here or is the aim to turn the town into a theme park for tourists?

My ongoing concern is where the additional St James Place employees are going to park once their second phase is operational? Has anyone actually given thought to this?

Perhaps it explains why two major sites in Castle Street remain empty after a year?

NICHOLAS A G LAING

Chairman of Steppes Travel