Angry Brighton and Hove traders petition against massive parking increases

The proposed business parking increases haven't gone down well with our local traders. They have started a petition on Brighton & Hove City Council's website against the hefty increases in parking charges for businesses.

It reads: "We the undersigned petition the council to reject the Green Administration's misguided plans to increase the annual cost of Business Parking Permits from £175 to £400 and Trader Parking Permits from £350 to £750.

"We believe that, at a time of economic turbulence, Brighton & Hove City Council should be doing everything it can to support local traders and other businesses, not making things more difficult for them. These punitive increases represent a stealth tax on local enterprise and will raise little, if any, extra revenue for the Council."

Hove and Portslade MP Mike Weatherley has given his backing to the campaign.

"It is unsurprising that the Greens are pursuing their anti-car ideological dogma with an irresponsible cavalier attitude towards traders in our city," he says. "It seems that they are intent on crushing local small businesses by taxing them out of existence. I whole-heartedly support the fight against this £1.3 million stealth tax."

This petition will be presented to a special meeting of Environment, Transport & Sustainability on 17 February 2012, and runs from 21/12/2011 to 07/02/2012. 156 people have signed it so far. Find it here