FIVE million pounds has been spent on the regeneration of Stanmer Park.

The walled garden looks very good and a new car park has been created behind the house and other car parks have been upgraded. Sounds good doesn’t it?

As a regular walker in the park for the past ten years I have seen the changes. Parking restrictions and fines were implemented a few years ago because of the indiscriminate parking in the access road. It is doubtful that emergency vehicles would have been able to reach the village.

So what has been achieved? There are six car parks, but only two parking meters. One in the large Patchway car park by Stanmer House, and one in a car park by the gate.

All other car parks require payment by phone.

Phone signals can be unreliable in some areas of the park and the two meters do not always work correctly. Tickets are not always dispensed and then not always for the correct amount or period of time.

Those of us who choose to drive up through the park will be surprised at the road's condition. It is in an appalling state, large potholes and in one section no road surface at all.

I know of several regular users of the park who no longer visit and won’t return. Not a success story.

Ron James

Portslade