Leeds City Council imposed the parking restrictions in 'The Granbys' (near St Michael's Church) as a planning condition. Park Lane Properties were (amazingly) granted permission for a highly intensive development of several dozen flats on the site of former garages at Cross Granby Terrace, with absolutely NO parking provision whatsoever, but conditional on a residents-only parking scheme being established in the Granbys.

Prior to the recent parking scheme, Park Lane were using the narrow streets as their business car park, not only for employees and numerous tenants of their new flats, but also for minibuses used to ferry groups of prospective clients from property to property.

The parking situation became so bad that by 2006 dustbin collections were frequently impossible, because the refuse lorries were unable to navigate the tightly over-parked streets.

Parking during the day or in the evening became almost impossible for genuine residents, with many of us having to double-park, or simply leave the car elsewhere. To be able to park anywhere close to one's own house was a rare treat indeed. And as for match days, words fail me! And all this despite the streets being 'access only' – meaning access to properties within the Granbys, and not free parking for exploitation by business!

I have lived in the area for 18 years and in that time, the only significant day-time parking in the Granbys has been due to Park Lane themselves, and to the now-closed Green Door Garage in Granby Street.

Staff parking aside (and here I have some sympathy, for shopkeepers, though not – forgive me – for Park Lane), I simply do not believe the parking changes have had much impact on other local shops and businesses. There simply aren't enough free parking spaces in this small block of streets for this to be a significant factor.

The Granby residents parking scheme is absolutely necessary, was much overdue, and is now hugely welcome.

It has made a big difference to the quality of life in our neighbourhood, and we, the long-term residents – of which there are still a good many – will not accept a return to the previous parking anarchy.

Mike Turner, Granby Mount, Headingley, Leeds