Sir,

In order to maintain a safe passage for emergency and utility workers from irresponsible drivers, double yellow lines were introduced as a deterrent. Unfortunately, local drivers seem to think they can still abuse them, often causing chaos in the enhanced narrowed streets.

Traffic warden numbers have been reduced as the age-old argument goes on over funding. The county council were supposed to take over the traffic wardening some two years ago, with numerous dates bandied about as to when the scheme would be implemented. Rumour has it that it will start in one form or another early in 2011.

In order to create extra funding, car parking charges were reviewed and raised, while streets were identified for residents parking schemes.

The number of places available in each street were assessed and marked out, after asking residents if they would like to have residents parking. The minority of 'yes' requests were often accepted, as the scheme was seen to create revenue.

The number of places allocated were sold to residents and guest houses in the street. If a visitor arrived at midday and parked their vehicle in a residents' space and did not move it for 14 days, the resident was ensnared, with no other option but to use the car park, because they could not use their residents permit.

I believe that when county has made every viable street residents parking only, then the fees for residents parking will be increased.

According to the South Wales Echo of August 21, 2010 (headline - Space Mission), Cardiff City Council bosses have handed out 18,000 parking permits, despite having no idea how many residents only spaces there are.

Motorists have voiced concern that they struggle to park in some of the city's resident-only streets, while the council has conceded it does not calculate how many resident spaces are available in each road when issuing permits, with a spokesman admitting there are 'currently no controls' on the number of passes given out (sounds familiar).

Pembrokeshire residents should take note of what is happening in Cardiff, before they are caught up in an unfair scheme to milk motorists of their hard-earned cash. A better policy would be to offer cheaper parking fees to residents and to introduce on-the-spot fines for offenders of illegally parked cars, like they do in Germany and France. This would be self-financing and help to keep traffic flowing, by reducing illegal parking.

Trevor Hallett,

Flat 1,

Tenby.