Stead and Simpson, Coulsdon's last shoe shop, closed on Saturday (Declining' Coulsdon, Croydon Guardian, March 21).

The reasons given were poor trading conditions over the past 12 months, an increase in rent, and no prospects of regeneration in a declining town centre.

The small Co-op supermarket closed last year citing the same reasons, as well as the red route controls.

Over the past twelve months, Transport for London (TfL) and Croydon Council have repeatedly ignored desperate calls from traders and residents for better parking and instead been assiduous in trying to ensure every breach of their parking rules is met with a heavy fine.

There is no mercy from the council moped raids. CCTV enforcement started in Coulsdon just over a year ago and a petition calling for it to be removed was brushed aside.

Along with other Coulsdon residents wanting footwear, I now will be driving further afield.

It is two miles to Purley's Tesco - which has a limited range. It is five miles to Beddington's Asda - where the range is a bit better but still limited. It is also five miles to Purley Way shopping centre, which has quite a good range with free parking outside. Then it is five miles to central Croydon but there's no chance of me going there, since the council's parking charges are too high and enforced every day right up until midnight. Parking enforcement savagely punishes any honest mistake.

Few will consider waiting around for a mobile youth centre, sometimes known as a bus, to turn up and then waste half an hour or more each way.

Now we hear Croydon Council wants to redevelop Lion Green Road car park - Coulsdon's only parking facility, apart from a few short-term street bays.

Every previous redevelopment of a council car park has resulted in less parking - see Reedham, Purley, Sanderstead, Norbury, South Norwood, New Addington.

What a policy triumph TfL and the council have achieved - and they are still in denial despite other imminent shop closures.

MARK BLACK Coulsdon