Car parking increase will affect visitors

My wife and I have had more than a passing interest in canals and narrowboats since the mid sixties. Because of its proximity to our home, we regularly visit Fradley Junction with our grandchildren.

For them, it has meant a little bit of education (how a lock works, for example), an appreciation of wildlife (by walking the nature reserve), an opportunity to impart a little bit of water safety to them and a measure of R and R for us sitting outside of the café (once managed by British Waterways) with a coffee and a bun, watching the world go by, writes Malcolm Crossman.

We are rarely there for more than an hour, but I have religiously and willingly fed the parking meter with the obligatory £1 coin.

Will not visit so regularly

If, because of the impending changes in the way the car park is managed, there is an increase in charges, however small, then I doubt we shall visit as regularly.

Your focus has been on the boating fraternity, but there are many, many others who will stand to lose out, not least the café itself.

Such a shame that British Waterways want to take such a heavy handed approach to something that is never going to be a high income generator. Maybe it should stand back and look at the bigger picture.