It is clear that Councillor Phil Thomas (Letters, March 14) is as out of touch with local democracy as the rest of the gang in Taberner House responsible for the current parking terror.

His assertion that if you follow the rules you will be fine is to ignore the basic principles that most people object to.

The parking regulations and restrictions are for one purpose only - to raise money; they do not benefit the average resident nor do they address congestion.

The regulations were introduced with no consultations and are objected to by all motorists, apart from a very small minority, mainly in the council's ivory tower.

We have never been given an opportunity to vote on this issue, by any party. We are forced away from shopping locally to the relative safety of large supermarkets and Purley Way sites.

The penalties are out of proportion with the offences. The regulations are fixed in such a way as to deny us the opportunity to test them in court and apply the rule of reasonableness that is a corner stone of English law.

We do not want to be harassed by the council gangs on mopeds, TfL vans or the council smash and grab lorry at any time of the day or night and it is especially annoying to see these people flouting the regulation they enforce by riding without helmets, parking wherever they like to issue tickets and blocking roads to haul off an innocently parked vehicle that has over-stayed by five minutes.

If Coun Thomas wants the people of Croydon to follow the rules, he needs to listen to the people he claims to represent and not act like Gollum fascinated by a pot of gold.

JOHN BRAY Russell Green Close Purley