Parking is the subject of great debate in Ryedale. Most of the traders feel that free parking for the first hour or three would help keep this wonderful area of Ryedale ahead of the game and would help us to compete against the FREE PARKING of the 'Out of town shopping parks'. Charging visitors or shoppers to 'spend their money' is not a cleaver thing to do. The council then dreamed up a way to stop the visitors from giving their unused and, paid for time to some one else by requiring the car's registration to be entered onto the ticket. This is to say the least, mean or just plain stupid. What we need is plenty of free parking but what we have is a constant but steady loss of spaces for all sorts of idiotic reasons and more and more stupid and unfriendly charges to make sure the 'Out of town shopping parks' get stronger and stronger. David Wakeley. December 1998 If you have any experience of this problem, please E-Mail me with the details at David@ryedale.co.uk Have a look at a vision of what Malton and Ryedale should be doing about it, by: Roddy Bushell, estate manager, Fitzwilliam (Malton) Estates   Return E-Mail 15th Feb 2000 I have just moved into the area from Wetherby where I have lived for the last 18 years. I drove into Malton on Saturday to have a look round the local "metropolis".  I was absolutely horrified at the parking restrictions. I used to think Wetherby was bad, but at least there are places right in the town center where you can park. I thought that the council's system of requiring you to put the 3 digits of your car registration on the parking ticket smacks of big brother gone mad! How can it possibly reduce the council's income if I give my ticket to someone coming into the car park to use my unexpired time. I have several times been the recipient and the giver of such a favour at the market car parks in Leeds. It harms no-one and engenders a spirit of good neighborliness amongst the citizens. Malton - get with it and stop being so money grabbing. I have often remarked on the difference between the attitudes towards parking in France and Britain. In France you can park almost anywhere without penalty - indeed in some seaside!! resorts, the parking places along the seafront are specifically reserved for non - French cars. Compare that to any British seaside resort! Nuff said best regards Roy Longmuir 1st Jan 1999 I agree with your comments on Parking - ALL main car parks should be free to encourage people into out town centres. It seems to be a fact of life that even family nominal charges put people off, we all scour the town for somewhere free. We must do all we can to defend our towns from the Out of Town shopping centres which creep ever closer (ie Monks Cross) Best regards and keep up the good work! Andrew Kilby