SIR - Recently I counted at least 50 cars in The Butts car park displaying the disk indicating a subsidised payment by employees of £5 a month for car parking courtesy of Worcester City Council.

The majority, of course, parked for their convenience nearest the exit leaving anyone paying the full amount the added inconvenience of walking further.

Perhaps it would be more honourable of the council to close all or part of the car park and make it for the exclusive use of council employees.

As the normal cost is £6 for up to 12 hours, just on this count the subsidy and cost to the council taxpayers of Worcester would be in the region of £70,000 a year. I suspect, however, the true cost is more than this if the cost of administering the scheme is taken into account.

On making further enquiries to the council I was informed that there are currently 364 subsidised car parking passes issued to employees.

I find this absolutely appalling as the true cost of this subsidy is therefore nearer the sum of £500,000 a year.

This at a time when Worcestershire County Council is working with the city council on a project to reduce car traffic in the city. No doubt all who work in Worcester and have to pay the full price for parking a car will be equally incensed and join me in protesting about this iniquitous scheme and a flagrant misuse of power.

PAUL CURTIS, Worcester.