The car park at Doniford Beach has been closed for some months now, and I understand from Williton Parish Council that it will remain closed due to health and safety factors.

I have lived in this area on and off for 50 years and have been using this car park since the early 1970s. Its closure is an inconvenience for myself and my family, as it must be for a great many other people.

Although I live in Taunton now, the closure must be equally inconvenient for many people in Williton, Watchet and all the surrounding villages.

It is ironic that the car park has been closed for health and safety reasons, because some regular users have been parking on the road outside it, which could be as unsafe as using the park itself.

The obvious answer might seem to be to ban any parking on the roads in the area, but that could cause a lot of resentment, so surely it would be better to either repair the present car park or find an alternative.

The old car park had room enough for only eight cars, so it’s not as if the council would be looking for a large parcel of land.

There are several commercial concerns in the locality that might be prepared, for the sake of good community relations and for a consideration, to allow Williton Parish Council to rent a small piece of land – has the council looked into all of them?

It would not be unreasonable to charge for the use of such a car park. I certainly wouldn’t mind paying a couple of pounds for the pleasure of being able to use Doniford Beach.

Andrew Puckett, South Road, Taunton.