Sir, — Hambleton District Council will be allowing some one hour's free parking spaces at their Applegarth car park very soon, which is very welcome and will help to rejuvenate business in Northallerton that was lost when two hours free parking on the high street was reduced to half-an-hour.

It will also help bring trade back to levels when a few years earlier Hambleton introduced parking charges at their car parks.

For many a shopping trip may seem like an eternity but I would have thought for anyone travelling into Northallerton in a group if you go steady away the mode average trip probably takes perhaps two hours from parking up to getting back into the car and setting off again.

To bolster the town centre, I would suggest that much more could be gained by making the free parking period two hours.

ALAN McKEE

Brompton, Northallerton.