WOULD be interested to know what other readers think of the new car parking pay times up to 10pm each night and costs (due to go up on April 1, I understand), particularly in the car park in School Drive next to the Dolphin Centre in Bromsgrove.

I understand our council is keen on promoting 'Better Health Activities' for its residents but I wonder if they realise just how much it now costs to take part in an activity at the Dolphin Centre compared with a private club, particularly as their own car park is so small and cannot cope with the current number of visitors.

Firstly, if you take out a monthly pass costing £28 - which entitles you to nearly all the activities being run at the centre, and then add that to a two-hour parking cost at currently 70p (one hour isn't enough as most organised activities generally take an hour each), add that to the cost of a non-returnable fee for a locker 20p.

Times all that by an average of four visits per week, you get monthly costs running at £28 for a pass plus £11.20 car parking fees, plus £3.20 locker fees and a total monthly cost equalling £42.40.

Compare that costing for just four visits per week with the cost of joining a private club with much better facilities, free parking, changing rooms that don't smell and social areas for people to relax and unwind and I think the Dolphin Centre will be losing quite a lot of its visitors.

I appreciate that promoting health means "walking" and people could walk instead of using their cars, thus avoiding car park charges but who wants to walk home in the dark after any of these sessions, particularly if you have been swimming or showered? I for one don't!

Even if a lot of visitors only use the centre once a week, the average cost for an activity plus parking is nearly £5 a trip! Is it worth it?

Disgruntled Dolphin Centre User

Friarscroft

Bromsgrove