I WAS appalled to read Kevin Alderson’s letter (HAS, Dec 29) about the disproportionate parking fine that some friends received after a recent trip to Bishop Auckland.

A fine of £50 for being 15 minutes over time is ridiculous and a classic example of how not to treat customers.

If Bishop Auckland town centre intends to continue with parking charges then it needs to come up with a more customer-friendly scheme, bearing in mind its current predicament and the nearby out-oftown shopping complex with its ever expanding range of facilities where parking is free.

The losers in this policy are the ever-diminishing traders in the town centre.

I suspect that this £50 will be the last that Mrs Alderson’s friends spend in the town and word spreads quickly in these days of the internet etc.

Meantime whatever happened to the campaign for free parking in Bishop Auckland – or has it died a death like the town centre is doing?

Ian Heslop, Bishop Auckland.