CALL me a pessimist – and at least one Evening Star letters page contributor already has – but I am still worrying about Felixstowe’s town centre shared space scheme.

Don’t get me wrong, it looks great and I am fully behind the theory and intention, and really hope it works.

However, I still don’t feel fully reassured that it will cut traffic – or that car drivers really understand how it will work.

No-one will be allowed to park in Hamilton Road between Boots and Bank Corner unless they are a disabled Blue Badge holder, or a delivery van dropping off goods.

And disabled drivers will only be able to park on the black areas (which hold just a handful of cars) – not the grey areas or the lines.

I would strongly suggest the council should ensure the grey spaces are all filled with seats and bike racks otherwise a car will squeeze in – I saw one the other day parked between the two trees (one of which has already been snapped in half) outside Peacocks.

You will not be able to park and dash to the bank machine or to Caf� Nero to get a coffee-to-go or WH Smith to get a newspaper. Not unless you have a Blue Badge.

So although no parking means there is no reason for people to drive down there (especially now you cannot go down Bent Hill to the seafront), you will still be able to if you want (but don’t stop, unless a pedestrian gets in the way).

Disabled drivers will no doubt cruise round and round at 20mph waiting for a space. So there could still be plenty of traffic.

And who will police the parking?

No police officers constantly walk up and down Hamilton Road – we will have to use those cardboard cut-outs tried a few years ago to deter crime or just leave it to the CCTV cameras.