Towerwood Vets Cookridge: 'My Leeds business is being wrecked by new double yellow lines - it's not fair'

Towerwood Vets, a veterinary surgery on Tinshill Road, has been a key part of the Cookridge community since 1971. But its owner now thinks the business could shut its doors for good.

Plans to place double yellow lines on Tinshill Road, a residential area, were announced two years ago, approved a year later and painted in February 2024.

Leeds City Council said the decision was made following complaints from residents about “obstructed access” to their properties.

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The veterinary practice told the YEP the double yellow lines have caused a significant decline in clients visiting the business.

Brendan Clarke, owner of Towerwood Vets, said: “We've seen a 20 per cent drop off in people calling in for their meds, food or advice.”

With the newly marked lines, Brendan said customers are forced to park 100 to 200 yards away from the premises, which can cause difficulty for elderly clients who cannot walk the distances or those with pets in poor health.

He added: “They're having to walk all the way to the practice with dogs left in the cars and then walk all the way back to let us help bring them in.

“A lot of them have just been angry. A lot of them have said it makes it really awkward for them to get to the practice. ‘Is there any way that this is going to be changed?’

“I guess, they're giving us an ultimatum that if it's made too awkward in this day and age then they'll go somewhere that's more convenient.”

Brendan also said the changes have caused safety concerns for his customers. The longstanding practice has since launched a petition, which currently has more than 600 signatures from its customers.

Brendan said: “We've had several near misses already, within the last few months that the double yellows have been down, where people or animals have nearly been hit because they've got out of cars on the wrong side of the road and then had to cross.

“Those endless numbers of traffic jams occur because people are swerving across the other side of the road. Now we have got neighbouring businesses complaining because our clients are parking outside their business. And it's like, well, what do we do?”

In a statement released to the YEP, a council spokesperson said: “A letter drop was undertaken on the proposals before implementation to all local residents and businesses, including Towerwood Vets.

“These measures aim to alleviate parking congestion and ensure unimpeded access to properties along Tinshill Road, including those adjacent to Towerwood Vets.”

The council said safety considerations were “paramount” in its decision-making. 

The spokesperson added: “Provisions for loading/unloading and alternative parking arrangements for visitors to the surgery have been incorporated into the scheme to minimise inconvenience.

“The Traffic Regulation Order governing these restrictions is now in effect, allowing for enforcement where necessary. We remain committed to monitoring the parking situation and welcome any feedback from residents and local businesses.

“We thank the community for their cooperation and understanding as we work to enhance accessibility and safety within our district." 

Towerwood Vets said it is exploring other options for its customers, including looking into planning permission to allow people to park off-road.