I READ with some interest (and annoyance) your spread (January 9) on the excess parking charges our local councils have been levying on us.

I wish they would look at the bigger picture.

Wickham, by contrast, has a thriving town centre, with many independent shops. Whenever I have been there it has been busy – parking is cheap and free on Sundays and Bank Holidays and it is always bustling.

Eastleigh is quite the reverse. Since the increase in parking charges and the elimination of free onstreet parking the trade has been down.

£1 an hour! Not only that but the machines don’t give change and if you opt for mobile payment there is an additional admin charge – they do nothing to help either the shoppers or the local businesses.

The Swan Centre, for one, has seen a marked drop in the footfall, town centre shops have been closing, the market has continually decreased in size and for what?

Eastleigh Borough Council’s greed. They know about this drop yet have done absolutely nothing to help the situation.

How about if they thought just a bit differently.

Reduce the parking charges and even bring back free parking at some stage (Romsey is free after 4pm, Winchester is free on Sundays).

Yes, the revenue may potentially drop initially but then you would get more people visiting, therefore paying more often. Businesses would thrive, new shops would want to open up and you’d have the thriving, bustling market town that would benefit us all, bringing in more trade and therefore more visitors, hence more parking revenue! It’s a no brainer – we all win!

Eastleigh has so much potential and could be a really nice town, but currently let down badly by its Council. Go on EBC, think outside the box for once – just try it for a while – I dare you!

TERESA ROSS, Bishopstoke.