Sir - As usual, the council have turned a job which is already their responsibility, into a way to extort monies from the people they are supposed to be serving.

The parking spaces opposite the university were admittedly often being used by students to avoid having to pay university car park fees. Having said that, we could always find a space and anyway, after working hours the spaces became free.

I do not know if any residents complained, but if they did, it would be that the spaces should be reserved for the residents, or their visitors only.

In other words, residents should have an automatic right to park there and this should be upheld by the council. So what should have been done? Each property should have been provided with a permit number with holographic protection and a visitor pass.

We should not have to pay for them - since traffic wardens and roads are already paid for in council and road taxes. (So actually, the council are charging twice for the same service.)

Instead, not only did they impose extortionate charges for the first permit, any subsequent permits incurred an extra £10 and then £20 charge! The houses are mostly occupied by students and this meant that the first one to apply got their permit for £30, but the next one had to pay £40 and the next £50. This must be unfair under the terms of consumer rights and fair trade acts !

This is absolutely extortionate and just not on at all - especially when the residents are mainly students on a tight budget.

Miss Deborah Claire

Worcester