I WAS interested to see the £5.5million pound surplus the city and county councils are making for parking. I would like them to explain, when they are making such a large surplus, the need to charge for the park and ride car parks. This is a policy which is to the detriment of all involved, encouraging commuters to drive in to Oxford or park in the surrounding area, or causing more traffic problems for the residents of Oxford and damaging already hard-pushed shops in the city.

The only reason I can see is that the councils see car drivers as another cash cow, and parking as an unapproved tax. Given the comments of the leader of the county council in recent times, this does not supprise me.

Unfortunately most of us have no choice but to drive, given the cost of houses in Oxford, centralisation of jobs and the nature of Oxfordshire and woeful public transport.

How about keeping the excellent free service which helps everyone rather than just milking the people (who keep the city and county alive) again and again ?

JOHN SMITH, North Street, Banbury