We always welcome a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below. This from Paul Dobson. Ed
I’d like to ask why the Council raises so much money from parking. The latest figures show that the Isle of Wight ranked 64th out of 343 councils, with a surplus of more than £3 million.
Our population is nowhere near that rank and we have one of the lowest average incomes in the country.
Being fleeced
As a parent of two under-5s, I just feel like I’m being fleeced every time I try to take them to the beach or park or get them out to another part of the Island.
I understand that Council finances are tight, but this is surely killing the Island. I drive to church on a Sunday in Newport and can’t understand why I should pay the council to do so. I look around and see the centre of Newport full of empty shops with not even an hour’s free parking to entice customers in.
Higher rates than neighbours
IOW council rake in substantially more parking money than Hampshire, East Hampshire, East Sussex, West Sussex and a host of nearby areas. Surely there are more justifiable ways of raising revenue?
Image: christine592 under CC BY 2.0
