COME into Bolton town centre to shop on any Sunday and you will be among a rare breed. Some of the major stores are trading -- so the town is open for business -- but the shoppers are simply not there.

It cannot be a coincidence that this is the situation here, while other places, like Middlebrook, where parking is free are so busy visitors struggle to find a parking space.

No-can deny that our parking wardens do a first-class job of keeping town centre streets uncluttered and traffic free-flowing.

They are quick to clamp down on transgressors, and their reputation is now so fearsome that motorists eventhinking of stopping where they shouldn't move off pretty smartish. Unfortunately, when it comes to parking in Bolton town centre, we have long ago thrown out the baby with the bathwater. As well as discouraging bad parkers, there is no doubt that we have also put off hundreds of would-be shoppers from spending time -- and, more importantly, money -- in our central shops and stores.

Now, many would far rather go to driver-friendly Bury or the Trafford Centre with its hundreds of free parking places, than risk being a nano-second over on their ticket time or, horrors, displaying their disabled badge upside down.

Such sins prompt the immediate wrath of the wardens, and hefty fines. The idea of leeway or pure commonsense just doesn't seem to come into it. I have never understood Bolton Council's stand on this. On the one hand, they say they are committed to our town centre shops, and encourage central events, especially on Saturdays. Then, on the other, they allow a parking police system that would make the Russian KGB look positively genial.

Shopping is now a leisure pastime that involves millions of us, especially at the weekends when we look for venues to visit for a retail "fix". So, town centres like Bolton have to compete to offer an enjoyable retail experience.

This starts with the ability to actually get to and from the town centre easily. And, if public transport is restricted, to be able to travel by car and park comfortably and relatively close to the shops.

I am convinced that if, for a trial period of, say, two months, Sunday parking in the town centre was completely free -- backed up by a comprehensive advertising campaign -- that many more shoppers would take advantage of our very pleasant shops and cafes.

Then, we really might have a vibrant centre seven days a week, with a booming economy, and a system of parking viewed as slightly less Draconian. Or have I just stepped into LaLa Land once more?