I wanted to go to the barber’s this week, but our friends from the county council in their infinite wisdom would not allow it.

Wherever you look to leave the car these days, they will not let you.

Of course, you can park miles away from where you are actually going if you like, but the council is unwilling for you to use the roads that we pay for as somewhere to leave the car when you nip off on a short errand.

I completely accept not being able to park alongside shops - we cannot all do it and a free-for-fall would obviously become a problem.

But I resent being prevented from calling on friends, or at the homes of people I want to call on for work.

Where will the mikman stop? Or what about the chap who delivers my groceries by van? Or even the parcel post.

Just down the road from me the council has provided parking bays for homes on a sharp bend — not a sensible place to park. Really the police should be taking action about parked cars causing an obstruction.

The trouble is the car owners could add the council to any summons, so we – the tax-payers - will end up paying half the fine.

While I will accept yellow lines are necessary evil close to the shops and in dangerous areas, it is simply not acceptable for the council to decide to give away roads which belong to us for private parking.

Perhaps the council needs to explain how much they intend to pay us for the use of public roads paid for and owned by us, not them, for such a purpose.

After all, the roads are paid for using tax-payers’ money.