Using schools as car parks

In reply to Dennis Athersmith, June 7, a number of contentious issues derive from opening playgrounds for parking on Shrewsbury Town match days.

The first has to be the new stadium itself, built against the trend of most large cities and towns on a green field site rather than a brown field site; built close to a residential area, not near an industrial park like most.

The local authority allowed only 300 parking spaces for a 10,000-seater stadium.

So does Mr Athersmith really think supporters are going to pay £5 to park at the Priory School or any other school when they can park on the streets of Meole, Bayston Hill, Belle Vue, Sutton, the park and ride or at Meole Retail Park complex for nothing?

Who is going to fund the personnel, the additional insurances and illumination that will be required to take the money and supply security for the vehicles left for the match?

Who is going to pay to pick up the trail of cans and takeaway food wrappers that will be deposited on the parking spaces and on the routes to and from the ground?

Despite club directors pontificating that their fans will use appointed car parks, it is evident some will, and the majority will not. Pubs and shops will be clogged with traffic, with a stretched police force trying to contain crowd movements.

This discussion will go on for months, the council hurriedly trying to cover its mistakes by trying to sell off the golf club opposite the new stadium which no doubt will see a car park of some sort.

The poor planning can only lie at the feet of the SABC chief executive.

David Cooper, Shrewsbury