I WAS appalled to see the proposed rise in car park charges within the city; this is no way to encourage shoppers.

As a grandmother I have recently become aware of the lack of facilities for families with young children visiting our city. We have no parent and child parking in council car parks, no pay on exit parking (when you have a pram and two young children to manoeuvre in and out of a car and take shopping with you it is difficult to assess how long it is going to take) and a distinct lack of mother and baby changing and toilet facilities.

The council suggest that it is good value for money to park further afield at Merton Meadow, all well and good if you don’t have a pram, a young child and shopping to manoeuvre.

Why should parents and grandparents be penalised by having to pay these higher rates because they have to park closer to the shopping areas?

It is no wonder that local families travel further a field to larger shopping centres with better facilities and a more varied array of shops.

HELEN MORRIS, Yazor Road, Hereford