TO their credit, I notice that both Chippenham and Malmesbury local councillors, together with some of the town’s business people, have come up with various plans to allow some periods of free parking to increase the footfall in our local high streets in order to help local traders survive.

As we all realise, the demise of our high street businesses is down to a few very large supermarkets who can supply nearly everything you can buy on the high street, but all from one large site, together with free parking.

It would appear somewhat unfair that, together with the advantages of scale, they are also given the bonus of free parking. Might it be possible that when permission to build a large supermarket is given, an annual levy based on the number of available car parking spaces is paid to the local council? This levy could then help to provide some free parking periods in our high streets, at any time, in order for local businesses to continue trading. Instead, we have at present either empty shops or endless charity shops which earn the council next to nothing.

R FOXWELL Lanhill Chippenham