I APPRECIATE that this subject has probably been'done to death', but feel I must add my 'four pennyworth'.

I use the Bath Street Car Park quite frequently and over the past few months have witnessed car parking attendants 'patrolling' (for want of a better expression).

Just after Christmas I saw an elderly couple been subjected to the uncaring, lack of understanding and tolerance demonstrated by this new regime.They were five minutes late on a very cold and frosty morning, but their attempts to explain this were dismissed without a thought by the attendant.When the attendant had left, the lady turned to me and said that she had tried to explain.

My husband was also a 'victim'. He was taking our daughter to sit the theory driving test down Churchgate and he was given a penalty notice between the time it took him to obtain a ticket from the meter to returning to his car!

This was unbelievable. I think the final straw for me was this Saturday. I parked on Bath Street, as usual, and thought at the time I stuck my ticket on the windscreen that it did not seem to stick very well. Anyway, on my return at 11.25am, sure enough the ticket had fallen off the windscreen and I had got a parking ticket -- my first ticket in 30 plus years driving.

The ticket did not expire until 11.40am! I was told to go to the Parking Shop on Chorley Street to appeal. This I did and have yet to learn the outcome. This high-handed, lack of flexibility and compassion is driving both able bodied and disabled people away from Bolton and it is very regrettable indeed. I am a member of various Disabled Groups and know the impact that this is having. I also feel sorry for shop keepers and able bodied people, who are fast coming to the conclusion that it really is not worth shopping in our lovely town. Can we not do something before it is too late?

By the way, this is the first time I have ever written to a newspaper to complain and I hope that it will be my last.

Lesley Smith

New Court Drive

Egerton, Bolton