ABOUT three years ago I contacted Lancaster city council's car parks department to suggest it could earn a bit of cash by installing a temporary pay and display machine where the people of Lancaster used to park when going to Kingsway Baths. I got a bland reply saying it would be referred to the appropriate section.

After waiting for a response I contacted a local councillor and some time later asked him how he had got on. He had had no response.

So, like other crafty folk, I decided I may as well use the free parking on offer when I popped into town on Saturday. I found the area fenced off

While I am no financial or car parking expert I reckon that at a gross revenue of £100 to £200 daily for a car park of this size, the revenue lost by the council over the years must amount to £100,000 to £200,000.

I know this area has always been earmarked for development, but surely an interim charging system could have been applied

Chris Riley, Lancaster