It’s ‘grotesque avarice’

✒ THE £9-million-pound profit made from parking – reported on the front page of the Post last month – is not a reflection on the poor parking of the people but the grotesque avarice at the heart of the city council.

As Mayor the buck for this ultimately lies with Mr Rees. As a professed Christian mayor I would have hoped he could have sought divine inspiration to find better ways to meet the city’s financial needs but has shown himself to be no better, if not worse, than his predecessors.

He and the council are fat with a spirit of extortion and this is everything the liberal city of Bristol is not.

Much of this began under George Ferguson’s reign, but rather than reverse the trend it has intensified under the present administration with up to 40 per cent increases on charges and widespread implementation of 24/7 metered zones.

I remember a time when you could park anywhere for free if you knew the city well enough.

Bristol is a liberal and beautiful city not a sphere for this money by menaces. The RPZs are a cynical scheme to make money under the guise of easing congestion and aiding residents.

No one believes the lie the council is projecting and it is a disgrace to any leadership. If he continues to be weak in principle on parking and lured by the filthy lucre of milking the motorists I fear that Mr Rees will taint his legacy irreparably which would be a tragic shame as in other areas he has done good work – but when a leadership exploits the people a spirit of avarice has defined a tenure.

Ben Daniels

Nailsea