Parking restrictions in parts of Oxford are no longer being enforced because road markings have worn away.

Residents at the city council's north east area committee heard that Control Plus, the company responsible for enforcing the parking restrictions in Headington, had stopped doing so, despite the nuisance caused by visitors parking on residential streets.

Areas affected include Lime Walk and several side streets.

The markings are maintained by the city council, but will not be redrawn until new parking restrictions for central Headington are introduced early next year. Oxfordshire County Council's senior traffic management technician Steve Axtell said: "They have worn away and those responsible for re-drawing them are reluctant to do so as they could be changed in six months. It would be a waste of money."

The new restrictions will see the residents' parking zone extended to prevent people using hospitals in the area and commuters parking in residential areas and obstructing junctions.

The changes will be based on the results of a consultation, ending next month, which has involved questionnaires delivered to 1,800 Headington residents.

Under the new scheme, people holding a resident, visitor or business permit will be able to park for an unlimited time in permit-holders-only spaces, and two- and three-hour limited waiting spaces within the central Headington zone.

The new zone will extend north of where the existing zone ends in Old High Street, including Dunston Lane as far as Ethelred Close, part of Barton Lane, south along Lime Walk to Old Road, including Nursery Close and Cecil Sharpe Close, and Bateman Street, along Margaret Road as far as Wharton Road, and along St Anne's Road, Rock Edge and York Road.