HAVING visited the The Shires car park on 15 July I can see some of the work carried as part of the £500,000 refurbishment which is due for completion this week.

Parking bays come in a variety of colours orange, red and black with white boundaries pedestrian routes are in blue. I am sure motorists will appreciate that the cost of these works is only partly covered by the new parking charges.

Who pays for the other part? What will the full cost annually of collecting and monitoring the parking charges ("policing") be? The cost of pavement decoration is only part of the refurbishment cost but is it necessary an how frequently will repairs and maintenance be necessary? I appreciate that lighting and other improvements are included in the £500,000 cost.

It seems that the highway authority also employs pavement artists. Several surface treatment and inlaid road "crossings" on and between pavements have appeared on Winsley Road, Bradford.

What purpose these serve is not clear, they could be mistaken for pedestrian crossings. They do not seem necessary especially along a road with a selection of surface defects. What is this work costing? Who is paying for it? Is it necessary?

Like many readers I was sad to read about the demise of Shopmobility, Trowbridge.

No details were given on the economic feasibility of the scheme but no doubt it needed a subsidy and perhaps higher charges to users. But a little less expense "painting" some pavement surfaces would release funds for more worthy causes.

RJ OWENS

Winsley