Where have all the cars gone? They are certainly not in your car parks.

Having been able to read the Free Press over the past few weeks while visiting Exmoor, I could not help notice a number of concerns in your columns about the charges and increases taking place in your car parks.

Having experienced difficulties driving along your car-congested streets in Minehead, I could not help, having returned home, but write to express my surprise at the large number of cars parking in West Somerset’s high and side streets.

At first I put it down to not enough car parking spaces, but it quickly became clear that was not the case when I entered one of your car parks. It was virtually empty – why?

Looking at the noticeboard, it fast became clear that it was likely to charge related. It was easier, cheaper to park on the streets than it was in the car parks.

My family and I spent two weeks visiting locations around Exmoor and this problem looks to be fixed to the car parks of West Somerset. Other councils/areas don’t have this problem, so why is West Somerset Council driving cars out of its car parks.

Is it completely out of touch with the public wishes?

Take South Morton - car parking is cheap and easy to park and you can, if you wish to, park all day for £1.50. It costs £5 in Minehead and you can take your pick of the space you park in as most of the time there’s no one else there.

David Jackson, Bourton-on-Dunsmore, near Rugby.