MADAM, It is well known that the car park at Alton Surgery is abused by people using it to do their shopping, and all they have to do to avoid a fine or clamping is to leave their registration in the parking book in reception.

This means that people arriving for genuine appointments, as I did last week for an urgent blood test, have nowhere to park, and if they use a non-marked bay risk being fined by the private company hired by the surgery. As I was, to the tune of £80. The ridiculous thing is that no check is made that the registration numbers left at reception are genuine.

This was admitted to me by the receptionist. Ergo, cheats will carry on parking with no risk of paying a fine, while genuine patients who are unable to park properly because of their actions, are fined or clamped. How unfair is that?

PS I have absolutely no intention of paying this fine.

C Burroughs, Ross