SIR — Having recently shopped in Minehead, I was taken aback to find some of the parking bays have now been designated for further taxi ranks.

In today's overall lifestyle, where most are forced to tighten their belts with regards to financial problems, I fail to see how anyone could possibly think more people will be able to afford taxis unless they have to.

Local people need the privilege of being able to shop and park easily without too far to walk once parked after carrying their shopping, particularly the disabled.

I feel sure our local shops need us to continue to visit Minehead as customers, but with parking being made even more difficult, forcing us to pay further parking the fees in car parks, I fear the people will one day dismiss shopping in Minehead all together.

Therefore I find this decision to be total madness on the part of the local council.

My next parking complaint is Dunster by Candlelight.

This is rather early to be thinking of Dunster by Candlelight, but for many people who live near Timberscombe and further away, it becomes a nightmare.

Unless we leave well before 4pm to get through Dunster to Minehead, only to travel by bus back to Dunster, we are faced with the onslaught of having to go through Wootton Courteney (a narrow lane of many bends). What a ridiculous idea!

I have been stuck in Wootton Courteney like many others for ages whilst trying to avoid continuous head-on traffic that has been temporally diverted 'from' Minehead!

It is a very dangerous exercise and I fear it's an accident waiting to happen.

How on earth an ambulance or doctor or any other services would get through in time is frightening.

The chaos Wootton Courteney suffers with so many cars makes me feel sad. Not only is it a bad situation, I feel maybe it's an unnecessary one that that so many of us to have to use the lanes.

It must be a nightmare for anyone living there even to be able to leave their homes during this occasion.

I have asked our local police why one side of the A396 leading into Dunster could not be left open for 'parking only'. This would still leave enough roads for an emergency service, which is more than Wootton Courteney will have the privilege of during Dunster by Candlelight.

Stephanie Oliver,

Great House Street,

Timberscombe.