When Aberystwyth decided that it could not afford its traffic wardens, members of Britain’s Clarkson tendency rejoiced, celebrating the town’s new found “motoring bliss.” In Aberystwyth, meanwhile, things did not go according to the script. Any celebration was soon replaced by frustration, as drivers indulged in a free-for-all that made the town the hardest place to park in Britain. Now, the council has decided to bring its wardens back, and a seven-strong team will start to reclaim the streets from today. “Most people will welcome the fact that order is restored,” the local chamber of commerce admits — adding with an echo of Joni Mitchell that “You don’t realise the value of things until they’re gone.” Great news for Aberystwyth. But it’s also a metaphor for the way the world is best organised. Thomas Hobbes never had to find a parking place in Malmesbury, but he would have understood the wider lessons from wild west Wales.
Article source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/03/aberystwyth-traffic-wardens
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