I RECENTLY went to pay a parking fine of £30. I had no grievance paying the money as I was in the wrong.

But while I was in the town hall, I enquired about what happens to the money; is it fed back into a system of solving traffic congestion, for example encouraging people to use public transport, or sponsoring alternatives such as park-and ride? I asked if there was a councillor I could speak to and the receptionist gave me a leaflet and suggested I ring the number printed on it.

Later, as I was leaving, the receptionist informed me that the number on the leaflet was a premium rate number. They used to have a telephone to call the departments dealing with fines which was free to use.

A. WILLIAMS,

Greenmount Road, Bury.