IT WOULD be no good having a public vote on the future of our riverside at Kendal unless there were clear published alternative proposals.

We know what one lobby wants: a hideous, unlandscaped car park with the maximum number of spaces and no charge. Can anyone explain why the council should provide any free parking on valuable town-centre land?

But we have not yet seen the district council's proposals, and work to de-contaminate the land is still under way.

Personally, I hope for an attractive, landscaped riverside area, but it is difficult to see how this can be achieved if it has to allow for visits by the funfair; wouldn't this be better moved to the Blackhall Road car park?

A well-landscaped area could, of course, include some parking; perhaps in parallel bays along the roadside. But these would need to be charged for at the usual town centre rates, or they would fill up with all-day parkers.

Let us see what the council proposes, then perhaps put it to the vote; open, of course, to all South Lakeland District Council tax-payers.

Oliver Barratt

Grange-over-Sands