Sir – The introduction of controlled parking zones in Oxford suburbs seems to cause ever more division among the residents, with increasing amounts of our council tax going out to fund consultants who then try to coerce us into accepting a particular concept.

Surely, it’s time that the county council admitted that CPZ is not a defence against aliens, whether they are commuters or Brookes students, but is a means to raise extra revenue at the motorist’s expense.

Once this was established, then it would be a choice of either excusing motorists from being charged to park outside their home or rearranging the CPZ scheme as an efficient form of taxation. In the latter case, there is no reason why a single zone should not be established in Oxford where any resident who has bought a permit might park.

Parking for visitors need not be allocated to specially marked areas but would be allowed anywhere in the zone, based on a four-hour limit.

This would reduce the current cost of multiple signs, detailed road marking, consultant fees, and parking attendants.

Frequent visitors to the city suburbs would be allowed to purchase a short-term permit to park at slightly higher rates than residents. These would be available from any park-and-ride or city car park.

The current arrangements for the central region of Oxford of parking meters and relief after 6pm would remain.

I can imagine the bureaucrats at County Hall feeling uncomfortable with such a proposal and construing various scenarios against change.

For this particular situation, I would appeal to the councillors to ignore their officers, and consider the damage that CPZs are causing in neighbourly relationships and ultimately in our attitude toward county council governance.

Richard Hunt Oxford