In your article "Ferries no longer call at museum" you quote Colin Jarvis of the Cornwall county council transport department as saying "the problem is too many car parks in town." To make a statement like that, which is demonstrably false, is adding insult to injury. Falmouth is littered with parked vehicles that impede the flow of traffic in and out of the town and traffic jams are a common occurrence.

We have lost many bus services because the town buses were so badly delayed they could not run to schedule. The remaining very limited bus service is unreliable and passengers find that they cannot rely on a bus to take them into town. People who have appointments to keep and cannot afford the cost of taxis are placed in an invidious position. Also there are bus stop signs around the town that are now defunct, but which could lead visitors to believe that they could catch a bus there.

I am glad Mr Jarvis agrees that the whole transport system remains "frustrating." After all the taxpayers' money that has been squandered by our councils on the park-and-ride system and on consultants, the town is in a worse mess now than ever. It is all very fine for Mr Jarvis to lay the blame on the residents of Falmouth, who "do not speak with one voice." How many towns are there where all are agreed on local government matters? If we look at some of the projects where the councils have pursued their own proposals, how many have proved successful, especially in giving value for money?

The cobbled streets, the Moor and especially the park-and-ride, that was supposed to be a main plank in the solution of Falmouth's terrible traffic system, are some examples of council initiatives. The vacillations of our council over changing or not changing the direction of the traffic flow through Market, Church and Arwenack Streets, epitomises what is wrong with our councils' ability (or rather lack of ability) in making decisions on our behalf.

A study of the councils' track record (both district and county councils) could, quite reasonably, come to the conclusion that the objective is to destroy Falmouth as a business and a shopping centre and cover the river frontage with luxury apartments and to provide facilities for tourists.

If our councils knew their job they would concentrate their public consultations on what sort of end product was needed. In the case of traffic most people would agree that we want the main access roads free from obstruction so that traffic jams are infrequent. To do this, traffic that is presently parked on the main access roads will have to be accommodated in off street parking areas. The job of our councils is to find a way to deliver a scheme that will achieve the desired ends.

It is galling for local people to see the parlous state of their town, the untidy areas, terrible traffic problems and all the frustrations they encounter in their everyday life. It is more galling to know that a great deal of money has been wasted instead of being spent on those things that could ensure that Falmouth will become once again a thriving shopping, business and tourist centre.

It is an insult to tell us that there are too many car parks in the town when it is obvious that Falmouth cannot achieve its potential unless the traffic problem is solved. It is an admission of their incompetence when they vacillate over details. It seems that despite the pay levels awarded to the senior executives, they are unable to bring technical expertise to bear on the design of a viable system.

However, the greatest insult of all is being told that by exercising their democratic rights in putting their views forward, they are opposing the "initiatives" proposed by the councils.

Paul Richardson, Shelburne Road, Falmouth