Sir - The other evening I parked in the car park at the junction of
Kimbolton Road, St Peter's Street and Goldington Road, only to find that £2 is now being charged to park there after 6pm.

No big signs to notify drivers of this change, just a very muddled, small and contradictory sign by the ticket machine. The following evening my husband and I went to the theatre in Milton Keynes.

We parked less than five minutes away for absolutely nothing. There is free parking everywhere in the centre after 6pm.

Our Mayor has claimed that car parking charges in Bedford are
comparable to Milton Keynes. Not so.

On my infrequent shopping trips there I always find free parking at any time within a five-minute walk of the centre. The petrol cost is more than justified by the superior shops and other facilities.

There is no point in redeveloping Bedford and providing all the new facilities if everyone has got used to going elsewhere because it's cheaper to park, or cheaper to park-and-ride (witness Cambridge).

Diana Palmer (Mrs)
Gilbert Close, Kempston

Organ donor survey is
credit to humanists

SIR – Mrs Sancto is right. Christians have, over the years, been involved with social change. But to claim that only Christians "do good" is to denigrate the efforts of millions of non-religious people who also do good, and who are less driven to tell everyone they have done it.

It is incorrect to suggest that Christians have a monopoly on
goodness.

Is it better to do good because you think that you get brownie points from a god, or to do good because you think it is the right thing to do?

Well done Bedfordshire Humanists with their organ donor survey, no eternity in paradise for them despite their efforts. No doubt they would want to follow Mrs Sancto's example and commend their website to
readers, www.humanism.org.uk.

KS Northwood
Armstrong Close, Wilstead

Where is town's respect for its war veterans?

SIR – On June 27, I had the honour of being present at 10 Downing Street in the company of the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, his wife and John Prescott, on what was the first Veterans Day.

I was representing the services charity, Combat Stress, and as an ex-serviceman who has suffered psychological trauma, I felt a great sense of pride representing all those veterans who have the need of the services of the charity, and also a pride in that I had served 23 years defending my country.

But how sad I feel now that a decision has been made by a locally elected politician that Bedford will not acknowledge the fact that both men and women of the county have served with pride and courage, and that some still bear the scars.

Both local and national politicians are elected to represent those who put them in a position of decision making, and I am sure the people of Bedford would be only too willing to acknowledge those, such as the local TA regiment, who have served their country.

I have two sons serving at present; they have both served in Iraq several times and I know all their family and friends are proud of them.

So, to all those who have served and who are currently serving, I for one, openly salute you.

May God protect you and may you all return to your loved ones.
For those who made the decision I can only think that you have never served your country.

John Rowlands
Ex-Warrant Office,
Royal Engineers

Borough's record on roads not much better

SIR – Frank Branston may think that a unitary Bedford will mean
better roads but as usual he ignores (or perhaps doesn't understand) the reality of the situation.

The roads Bedford Borough Council maintains are as patched up as anywhere else, and received just as much criticism as those
maintained by the county council. However, at least we are up front about what the issues are, and the progress we are making, instead of just chucking insults around.

The other fact Frank ignores – and knows only too well – is that our
current road contract is on a long-term basis, so the existing team, who have done an excellent job, will be in place for at least another four years.

I am afraid his criticisms on road closures and health and safety ring a little hollow as well – at least we could not be accused of ignoring national legislation.

Given the cash-hungry nature of maintaining our roads, the only way Frank will make any noticeable impact is by pouring more money into the problem.

And he won't be able to do that given the already tight situation on budgets for the new council.

Coun Tom Wootton
Cabinet member for Environment, Bedfordshire County Council

'Eviction' couple would be better off as travellers

SIR – What a mad world we live in; evict an elderly couple who work and pay their dues, make their life hell for the sake of planning
permission for one mobile home on the ground they work, (T&C, June 19).

Just maybe, if they were able, they could tow it round anywhere in
Bedford, park anywhere, throw rubbish where they like and pay no taxes – yes become a traveller and be more thought of.

MP Swannell
Restormel Close, Bedford

'Every little harassment'
does not help

SIR – My partner and I have shopped at Tesco for a number of years and, following a move nine months ago to Flitwick, started shopping at our local Tesco store.

In the last month we have been stopped on no less than four
occasions when the alarm has been triggered and had to endure the embarrassment of being stopped by security.

The reason has been that the security tags were not removed by cashiers for a bottle of whiskey, a DVD, a CD and finally items of
clothing.

On the last occasion we had had enough and called for the manager. He apologised and said it was an issue of staff training and he would mention it at the next staff meeting. Had it happened once, I could have understood,but four occasions in such a short period of time is unacceptable.

Now, an incident to cap it all; I went into the same shop with my teenage daughter to buy some shopping. My fiancee, asked me to pick up some bottles of beer as he was working late.

I presented my purchases at the till and the cashier called for a
supervisor. I was then subjected to whispers and furtive looks while they discussed something.

I was then informed I would not be served the beer because they believed that I was buying it for my daughter.

I explained the circumstances but was told that if the cashier was not happy, I would not be served.

While I appreciate the principle. I was not told the actual reason for their suspicion but was merely embarrassed by their actions and inability to be honest with me. I complained to the same manager as before but he said he had to stick by the cashier's decision.

I wondered just what specialist training the cashier has undergone.
Very little, I suspect. It would appear that it is Tesco policy to not allow customers to buy alcohol if their teenage children are with them. Strange indeed, when I witnessed a young girl buy a bottle of vodka at the same store about two weeks ago and take it out to a group of girls aged about 15 years, right outside the store.

As a result I have purchased less and less from this shop over the last few weeks and would rather travel further to the nearest ASDA.

Tracey Wade

by email
Words are cheap, action is what is needed

Sir – I was concerned to read Frank Branston's priorities when Bedford Borough Council goes unitary, (T&C, June 12).

1. Education is 80 per cent funded by the government.
2. On past experience, the borough's record on maintaining minor roads in the borough from 1974 until three years ago was appalling.
3. Policing has no input from local government, it is totally independent.

Words are cheap, action is what is needed.

DA Chapman
Riseley

Were we at the same event?

SIR– Ben Raza's description of the reception for Caroline Flint was worth a good laugh, (T&C, June 19). Having stood among this volatile and baying crowd I am at a loss to recognise his description.

Ben did no service or justice to the actual facts of the matter. The crowd did boo. One person I think. The rest politely but firmly chanted, 'no eco town.' Nothing blood curdling I am afraid.

Keith F Cox
Watson Way, Marston Moretaine

Statement could prove
self-fulfilling prophecy

SIR – Mr Patrick MP Hall has made the fundamental mistake of allowing his apparent ignorance on such matters to blur his judgement, (T&C, June 5.

Firstly, what a crass irresponsibility it is of someone in his position to proclaim from the rooftops that Bedford is 'a soft touch on travellers'.

Mr Hall's thinking aloud as to travellers being attracted to the town's parks and open spaces could prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, if he only he shouts loud and far enough.

If Mr Hall was genuinely concerned about such a perception he would have taken a far more measured and constructive approach, but instead his first port of call is to seek publicity via the local media.

The logic of Mr Hall's proposal, that the borough council should
provide the installation of temporary traveller sites as a priority, is equally baffling.

First, he claims that too many travellers are attracted to the
borough – so he proposes yet more sites in which they can then stay. Mr Hall also fails to mention where these 'temporary sites' should be and which local services would have to be cut to pay for them.

The headline driven antics of Mr Hall serve as yet another reminder as to why the people of our town are entitled to expect so much better from our Member of Parliament.

Coun Peter Hand
(Con) Brickhill, Bedford