AS parking charges are now compulsory, Forest of Dean District Council should spend some of the thousands earned to make them safe, after all they have a duty of care to their patrons.

Recently the car parks have been lethal due to compacted snow and ice. Venturing out to Coleford on the Saturday for vital supplies when the thaw had started I did expect things to be better, but no.

Whilst the pavement outside Tesco and Tuffins was clear, when reaching the car park it was impossible to push the trolley over the ice. This left everyone, elderly included, to carry bags of shopping, making several journeys down the very slippery slopes.

It would not have taken a team of men long to clear the ice off, but nothing from our unthinking and uncaring council. Other towns that charge for parking, Monmouth for example, I am told, managed to clear and make safe their car parks.

Now FODDC are charging for parking they should also be responsible for the safe parking of vehicles and supply a security guard or at least a working CCTV to watch paid for vehicles are not vandalised, broken into or hit by other vehicles, trolleys, missiles etc.

A couple of Thursday evenings ago a new wave of young teenagers were in Tuffins spending their Christmas money on very cheap two ltr bottles of lemonade and then going around the corner into the car park and throwing the full bottles into the air letting them fall hard to burst like a sticky bomb.

A bouncy bottle or a bad aim could result in cars being hit by these heavy missiles, doing a lot of expensive damage to body work.

If we have to pay for parking then the money makers should be responsible for our safety and property whilst on their land.

– A Coleford resident.