Parking solutions

Tom Hart (Letters, 26 August) says discouraging car use is negated by improving roads. However, much of the traffic on these consists of lorries and buses. Inadequacy in road capacity leads to trips by these being slower more costly, using more energy and causing more pollution and accidents.

More than 80 per cent of public transport trips are by bus and more than 90 per cent of freight trips are by lorries/trucks. A better way of discouraging car use is by limiting parking provision at both destinations and origins.

There are countless older homes with no on-site parking, and limited on-street spaces. Many residents then choose not to have cars even if they can afford such. Yet nearly all housing built in the past 50 years has on-site parking for each dwelling, such being required by the local authority, even where there is excellent pedestrian and/or bus accessibility workplaces, shops and recreation facilities.

Having on-site parking increases car ownership and use. It is within the powers of planning authorities to limit on-site parking provision determining the amount, if any, according to the locations. In some areas under 50 per cent of households have cars. As the proportion of elderly people increases there should be more new housing without parking spaces. Non-car owners should not have to pay for such. Without it, more homes could be built on housing sites so reducing unit costs and the need to use "greenfield" land, while increasing council tax revenues without more public expenditure.

Kevin Lawrie

Dunkeld Road

Perth