CONGRATULATIONS to the police who have just been praised for making our towns safer to live in.

The Chief Constable claims to respond to the needs of communities - yet at every Bewdley Town Council meeting the subject of illegal parking is discussed and, despite letters to the police, the problem is getting worse.

Illegal parking is a crime, yet it does not appear to be a part of the Police Performance Assessment. If it were, we would find that the crime rate in Bewdley is rising.

Each Sunday morning over 100 crimes are committed in one road alone - Severnside North.

Cars can be found at most times of the day parked on yellow lines in the four bus bays and in disabled bays.

Soon the road along Severnside South will be fully open. The Highways Department intend to put yellow lines along this road but it would be a shame to deface the new area. I have suggested that they use the "No Parking Zone" scheme which was tried in Severnside North. This does not need yellow lines, although it failed because the police did not enforce it.

Andy Broom, the Highways Partnership manager, has said that yellow lines are best because they are self policing.

I have suggested that he takes a walk along Severnside North to see how effective they are! And while he's in town he should take a look around the church and along Sandy Bank.

If yellow lines are put in Severnside South, vehicles will just park on the river side of them, as they do in Severnside North , and the new civic circle will become a parking place as in the photo (right).

PAUL GITTINS

Bewdley town councillor

Lyttleton Road

Bewdley