I paid my weekly visit into Bolton town centre on Thursday of last week and headed for my usual car park at Central Street, to the rear of Knowsley Street.

It is the only facility that I know of which has secure motorcycle parking.

So I was not best pleased when I discovered that this small parking area for bikes had been blocked by building materials - as you can see with this photograph.

The car parking options are bad enough, but bikes are easy to steal unless you chain them to something secure. The chain services that this parking area provided gave good protection.

Motorcyclists cannot attach a paid ticket onto their bikes, so they can not use car parking bays.

They can not secure their bikes to lamp posts, as they would be causing an obstruction on a pavement.

The area was totally devoid of any notices warning of the removal of the parking space, nor giving alternative options.

Stuart Martindale Bromley Cross