MR Gardner is no doubt unpopular in Carlisle Avenue with his views, but then so is anyone who tries to argue against the well-entrenched lobby led by the Piper’s Residents’ Association.

They have fought very long and very hard (more than 20 years) for resolution of the so-called parking plague and have now resorted clearly to that old darling, the safety claim.

Mr Gardner is, in my view, wholly correct when he states that the arguments are ill-founded.

What is worse is the great unspoken mass of silence which comes forth from most residents of the “deeper” avenues who sit and hope that the yellow lines will stop short of their roads.

Away from Marlborough Road and the Lakeside footpath there is less and less danger and less anti-social parking, so many residents fail to come to the Piper's call.

What is wrong is when the residents’ association publicly puts forth very carefully that the view of the whole area is to support restricted parking. Having undertaken a very un-scientific letter box survey myself in one road (my own) there is not a 50 per cent majority for the yellow line schemes.

What there is also is no clear consensus, nor even any sense of urgency, with most people choosing to ignore the issue.

In my view, since this road does not seem to have a majority in favour of change we should retain the status quo – at least if my straw poll reflects the view of its people.

Certainly I do not think it democratic that the vociferous and possibly legitimately unhappy people in some roads should have their desires impressed upon all of us.

What next? Can we let the current scheme run its course?

Then have fair local democracy with the council seeking the private views of the residents via a postcard questionnaire rather than the present showing of hands at public meetings like 1970s British Leyland union gatherings.

GRAEME CHRISTMAS Greywethers Avenue Old Town Swindon