Sir – Dominic Woodfield’s unfavourable perception of the East Oxford controlled parking (CPZ) consultations (Letters, February 9) suggests he’s living on a different planet from the rest of us.

The series of consultations organised by the county council have been the most thorough and genuine that I have experienced in over 30 years living in East Oxford, in sharp contrast to many organised by the city council, which are often shallow with biased questions (eg the abolition of area committees last year).

One may agree or disagree with controlled parking, or details of the scheme, but it has been extensively modified and improved over time with a great many (though not all) residents’ and business comments and requirements addressed.

I suspect that it isn’t really the consultations that Mr Woodfield objects to, but the very fact of controlled parking itself. Those of us living in Hurst Street, St Mary’s Road, Henley Street, Aston Street and Stanley Road, in particular, have suffered increasing problems over the past few years with student cars, commuter parking and overflow from the inadequate existing CPZ between the Plain and Bullingdon Road, which has too few spaces for the streets’ cars.

It was our streets that initiated the demand for a CPZ in 2007, and five years later we still have street chaos, dangerous corner parking, blocked pavements and streets inaccessible to emergency vehicles.

The county’s scheme, while not perfect, will enormously improve the situation, and will be subject to review and amendment after a year in place.

I would ask all local residents in the consultation areas (Divinity area, Magdalen Road north and south) to vote for the scheme now, see how it works in practice, and only then, if there are problems, pressure the council for changes.

Anthony Cheke, Hurst Street Residents’ Association, Oxford