Further to your article on the Southend Hospital parking scheme (June 20), I would like to point out that when walking my dog at lunchtimes, I see quite a few cars parked in the residents’ parking areas, but without permits being displayed.

I bought my permit in April, at which time I requested visitor permits from the council. After three telephone calls, I had assurances that I would receive them shortly. I’m still waiting.

I was assured the council was waiting for the permits to arrive from the printer and that the parking scheme would not be operative until everyone had been issued with their permits.

Typically with this council, it rushed into various systems before it had the facilities in place to operate them.

Surely, any professional outfit would have the facilities to issue permits in place before they tried to implement their parking system.

Not this council. It seems to enjoy upsetting the people it is supposed to be trying to serve.

One cannot read the Echo without a complaint about this council.

In the meantime, I await my visitor’s permit, which I assume is coming via China.

Ken Holmes
Thear Close
Westcliff