I read, with interest, your article in the Ross Gazette of February 13th regarding the free parking event.

It was a well intentioned exercise by Herefordshire Council to agree to four hours free parking in the County, on Saturday, February 9th, but I think any conclusions from it will be very limited for the following reasons:

1. It did not appear to be well publicised in advance - for such an event such as this, adequate advance advertising is a must.

I only knew because I have signed up to info, by e-mail, from Herefordshire Council

I then took it upon myself to send a website link to the Ross-on-Wye Notice Board Facebook page, so more local residents were informed, and would suggest this is something perhaps the Council could have thought of, as well as endeavouring to ensure the local papers within the County featured it more prominently, both online and in their hard copy papers.

Large signage, erected to the entrances to all towns, is really the way to fully publicise such an event, if the Council are going to endeavour to rely on any statistical info as a result.

2. On the actual day, I personally prevented two drivers from parting with their money in Ross Swimming Pool Car Park.

The free parking signage, in this car park, was certainly not prominent enough at the ticket machine, and this seemed to have been accepted as I did notice that, later on, an attempt had been to move it closer (I suspect by one of the roving parking attendants who, I understand, were under instructions to monitor the effects)

3. The actual date for such a well meaning exercise was also a little puzzling, as a winter’s day in early February is perhaps not best suited for enticing locals out to browse the local shops etc. Let’s hope lessons can be learned from a well meaning exercise.

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