SIR,

I am writing to express my dismay about the installation of car parking meters at Tintern Abbey.

I love the Abbey and enjoy visiting and now my children are older I will be bringing them to immerse them in their cultural heritage.

A site of such importance should have no unnecessary barriers to visiting and this imposed car parking charge is effectively adding £3 to the admission charge.

This is unfair on the many families, my family included, who when going out for the day do not have extra funds to purchase items from the shop and can not afford to eat in The Anchor. Also it has been stated that the £3 charge would be used to maintain the car park, however I fail to see how they are going to receive revenue as the majority of people will be redeeming their £3.

I have worked in Tintern for over 20 years and there are probably only a handful of days where parking spaces are short in the car park and I really don't see how charging £3 to park all day will reduce congestion, surely if people have paid for all day they will stay all day. Also on this point I was visiting last week and saw several cars of walkers park and pay their £3 and leave their cars, so there is already evidence that it's not working.

These charges will have a negative impact on businesses in Tintern and on the amount of people who visit Tintern as many people just stop on the way through and do not want to stay all day and on families who will now have to find extra money to experience welsh heritage.

The only businesses who this will have a positive impact on is The Anchor and CADW shop as they will divert trade away as people will use these places to redeem their £3. Is this fair? I think not.

Leila Phillips

(Tintern)