I AM sure that the many pubs and cafes in Malhamdale are delighted with the influx of visitors and that residents don’t object to the people themselves (Dales village overrun by visitors, August 4, Craven Herald).

It’s the cars rather than the people that are the problem, and opening more fields for parking will only encourage more cars and make the problem worse. The obvious solution is to improve the pitiful public transport service throughout the Dales, and to encourage walking and cycling.

There’s yet another local transport plan about to be published by the new North Yorkshire Council. Let’s see how much they are prepared to invest in the infrastructure necessary to get people to leave their cars at home.

The trend however has been to withdraw investment for alternative forms of transport, and given the Government’s recently announced ‘review’ of low traffic zones, I am not hopeful that the latest transport plan will contain anything positive to help Malhamdale residents.

Doug Clark

Cononley