SIR – There’s a certain irony when, on the very same day the retail guru, Mary Portas, published her recommendations on improving high-street shopping, principle among which is the reduction in car-parking charges, Bradford Council should announce its intention to introduce on-street parking charges to high streets on which they have never applied before.

It is often said that, just as in comedy, timing is everything. They obviously don’t know about Bradford Council.

Graham Hoyle, Kirkbourne Grove, Baildon