A major parking clampdown faces a backlash from businesses and residents who claim parts of York are becoming a "police state".

Traders in areas including Heworth and Heslington fear parking restrictions and heavy patrolling by new council traffic wardens are hitting business.

But City of York Council says it is merely enforcing the law and cannot give way to businesses relying on people "breaking the law" to park near their premises.

Heslington residents and businesses say new parking restrictions mean traffic wardens are almost constantly on patrol "waiting to pounce".

City of York Council has introduced double yellow lines along Main Street and a 30-minute waiting restriction outside shops and banks.

Barry Brown and his wife run three businesses in the village, the post office, a delicatessen and a hair salon, and say they have been inundated with complaints.

Mr Brown said four wardens patrolled the village twice a day waiting to "slap tickets on cars".

"A few people have said to me it's like living in a police state," he said. "People are not exactly intimidated, but it's like bully tactics. The general public are just sick of it."

Mr Brown said he thought people were being put off shopping locally and extra congestion was being caused by cars unable to park.

In Heworth, residents are fighting renewed plans to build flats on East Parade Car Park with the loss of 16 car parking spaces.

Further up the road, East Parade businesses have written to the city council complaining about wardens and airing fears about more parking restrictions. Liz Smithson, owner of Busy Lizzies florist, said: "There have always been yellow lines here but people have got so used to parking here because it wasn't policed properly before.

"Now it's gone to the other extreme.

Peter Evely, head of highways and regulation at City of York Council, said he felt very strongly about this issue.

"What we have in this city is, unfortunately, a minority of people who have decided that they are above the law and that cannot be allowed to happen."

He added that the council was acting on the "very strong views" of many city residents about the problems with congestion and safety caused by illegal parking.

"Businesses are there and we want them to be there, but if they rely on people breaking the law for their survival then, I'm sorry, we can nothing about it."

newsdesk@ycp.co.uk