Sir, How refreshing to see some Wallingford councillors challenging the prevailing urban planners' myth that restricting off-road parking deters people from having cars. Garage conversion and the division of houses into multiple occupation, without stipulating adequate off-road parking to replace lost garages or to cater for extra car-owning occupants, merely fills residential roadsides and verges with parked cars.

No amount of wishful thinking by well-intentioned, but misguided, pseudo-green planners will reduce the vehicle population until a viable alternative is found to match the car's personal convenience. Until then we should plan to cope with cars, not hope in vain that they will go away.

M. D. Austin, Abingdon