I invariably come home after public meetings wishing "if only I'd asked a second question and said something else."

My missed message after the meeting in Devizes Corn Exchange on November 8 would have been something like this:

Let's imagine that the Market Place had no trees at all, just a fountain, a statue and a car park, and that there was a proposal to plant half a dozen trees.

Would not strong objections have been raised: "They'd obscure the fountain, they'd get in the way of the cars?"

Let's imagine that the Market Place was not the venue for a Thursday Market and that a brand new market was proposed.

Would not objections have been raised vehemently: "What about our car parking? What about competition with local shops?"

What I heard was a loud plea for NO CHANGE, "Let's get back to the way things were in the '50s and '60s.

But the fact is that change has been thrust upon us local traffic has increased relentlessly, air quality is getting worse and houses are growing apace that are making urgent transport demands.

There is no room for more parking spaces in the Market Place nor do we have the lower traffic levels of the '50s and '60s.

Carrying on driving anywhere and everywhere will make life more and more miserable for the motorist looking for a parking space and intolerable for everyone else.

What we have instead is a wonderful opportunity to seize control of that change, visualise something more forward thinking, and get in touch with tomorrow.

My personal vision is to be able to cross the Market Place and the main road from one side to the other on foot without hindrance from cars.

I would love to see the parked cars removed and replaced by a beautifully landscaped vibrant Market Place fit for historic Devizes A place with benches, an open air caf and kiosks, travel information and tickets, a place that tempts people to linger, trade and meet, a place fit for our children to play in and enjoy. What a fantastic asset. Surely I'm not alone in this vision?

The first step that we could put in place straightaway is to replace six of the lost car parking spaces with six trees and reduce the parking fees at Station Road while we set up a proper Devizes Transport Forum to sort out some of these questions.

How does that sound? Can we embrace positive change, work together, keep the baby and chuck out the bath water?

KATE FREEMAN

Friends of the Earth, Devizes