I HAVE paid a £35 parking fine on the day that I committed the offence of parking in a place, outside my local shop on Blackburn Road opposite the Cotton Works, where I have parked at least once a fortnight for the past 10 years.

My crime was not realising it was after 4pm. I was in the shop five minutes but I was guilty. The reason for my transgression, being irrelevant to the warden.

However it begs the following questions: What about supporting local traders; what about the use of the shop between 4 and 6 pm; when parking in the local streets is impossible; what about the speeding in both directions on Blackburn Road when the speed camera van never changes its position; what about parking half way on the pavements and fully on the pavements on Blackburn Road.

What about the red light jumpers at Blackburn Road/Crompton way lights; what about tailgating on Blackburn Road; what about speeding in the 30mph area when crossing Blackburn Road on Crompton Way when the Crompton Way lights are on green; what about cars U-turning on Blackburn Road.

I have personally experienced all of the above and could go on, but there is no one to catch these difficult offenders, and I remember when a traffic warden would open a shop door and shout "move this red car or it will be booked"

What happened to humanitarian concern for others.

Alan Rigby

StaveleyAve

Bolton