Football fans have been fined nearly £10,000 since a new parking scheme was introduced at the start of the season.

On match days, 386 tickets have been handed out in the streets around the American Express Community Stadium, costing Albion fans and their counterparts £9,675.

The news comes after Brighton and Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber wrote to fans telling them of changes to parking at the Amex.

From next month a new arrangement will be in place to stop the rush of people trying to leave Bennett’s Field car park at the final whistle.

Bennett’s Field – mainly used by 1901 club members – will be shut from the 70th minute of a match until a minimum of 45 minutes after the final whistle.

The club says it has recently witnessed several altercations between motorists, while stewards have been abused and one was physically assaulted.

Any fans who currently use Bennett’s Field are being given the opportunity, subject to availability, to transfer their parking space to the university car parks, which will not be shut after the final whistle.

This summer the club will also be looking to add a series of traffic calming measures to the Bennett’s Field car park to stop queue jumping and improve the flow of traffic.

At the start of the season, the club and Brighton and Hove City Council introduced the resident permit system to 49 roads in Moulsecoomb and Coldean to stop fans parking in residential streets and walking to the Amex.

The highest number of tickets issued by Brighton and Hove city Council on a single day was 53 on August 24 for the visit of Burnley, while the highest amount of fines recouped was £1,310 from the game with Derby a fortnight earlier.

The number of tickets issued has dropped significantly since the start of the season, with just 21 for last month’s game against Birmingham City.

Revenue from penalty charge notices goes towards the ongoing costs of the scheme, maintenance of signs and lines and the labour costs of changing the variable signs.

The fines also go towards enforcement costs and ongoing permit administration charges, which is also being partly funded by the club.

Carol Lynn, from Coldean Residents’ Association, said: “It was horrendous here, we just couldn’t park in our own streets and it was an absolute nightmare.

"Now it’s nice and quiet here and in Moulsecoomb when Albion are playing. The wardens are certainly getting them.”

Deputy council leader Ian Davey said: “It’s great to hear that residents living near the stadium are happy with the scheme, which has made their lives easier on match and event days.”