Sir - A regrettable consequence of the imposition of parking restriction in several areas of the city is that residents are now forced to convert green front gardens into parking bays.

Faced with the prospect of double yellow lines on one side of our road and insufficient parking space on the other side, we have reluctantly converted our own very green front garden at a cost of £2,000. We have then had to seek permission from Oxfordshire highways to lower the kerb outside our property to give us parking access for a further £50 and have now received estimates from the list of contractors authorised by Oxfordshire highways for kerb lowering.

These have ranged from £2,400 to £650 plus VAT for work that was offered free a few years ago and which we would obviously have requested at the time, had we been informed by the city council that parking restrictions were being considered in our area. First we believe that Oxfordshire highways should not charge £50 for approval of kerb lowering given the context described above, and have written to make this point. We have received no response.

Second, we believe that where there is insufficient on-street parking space, the city council should provide a further opportunity for free kerb lowering. We have emailed the city council complaints line, as well as our local councillor, and have again received no response. In all three cases, there hasn't even been the courtesy of an acknowledgement.

B. Davies and R. Gray, Oxford