Contemplating the effects of chemotherapy gives time for a wider consideration of the implications of resurfacing the Market Square which seems in many respect to be following fashion for paved surfaces and soon we may be reminded that this nice new and e

Contemplating the effects of chemotherapy gives time for a wider consideration of the implications of resurfacing the Market Square which seems in many respect to be following fashion for paved surfaces and soon we may be reminded that this nice new and expensive surface, on what is basically a road is being damaged by vehicle spillages.

In many respects this is yet another tiny step in the long running effort to ban all cars from the town in the belief that this will make the town bloom and specialist shops abound.

Well it ain't going to happen as these shops require a constant throughput of customers far in excess of that which the town, or any other of a similar size, can generate.

People don't go into such shops on a regular basis as they would a chemist, supermarket, newsagent etc. They need a constant flow of trade and the ability to make profits against what seems, on the part of landlords, tax raisers etc an assumption that shopkeepers have access to an infinite supply of cash to pay their bills and fend off competition.

To sustain such shops,which we dearly need, comes back to the old question of access and particularly that by car which is how most of these new customers will arrive to spend their hard earned.

While we have parking it is the perception of the distance to the town centre e.g. Swan Meadow which is off-putting to those not familiar with the geography.

Rather than spend money the Market Square it would be better to try to increase car parking and the suggestion is made to extend the common car park pack towards Chatters Hill using that area which is well shaded by trees, which must not be cut down, and is little used.

Rather than a great slab of Tarmac, I have seen, I believe at the council offices at one time, an area laid with concrete 'open bottomed egg boxes' which provide a strong surface for lower volume car parking while allowing grass to grow and greatly reduce

the visible impact of the surface.

This must be a better way to spend money and improve the town's trading potential then laying pretty patterns in paving while raising more car park fees.

T Rumble, Walden Road, Sewards End, Saffron Walden