PARKING in Brighton and Hove is so bad that a city tourism boss travels to neighbouring Lewes to do her Christmas shopping.

Soozie Campbell, chairwoman of Brighton and Hove Tourism Alliance, made the claim as the city's annual parking report was released.

It recorded that Brighton and Hove's traffic wardens have dished out the highest number of parking tickets in seven years.

Wardens issued 123,556 tickets for the 2015-16 financial year - one every four minutes.

And the city council's profits from parking enforcement also rose during the year to almost £12.7million.

Parking generated £20,396,807 across the period - with £9.6 million coming from street charges, £6.8million from parking permits and £3.7million from penalty charge notices.

The £12.7 million compares to £11.47 million two years ago. Last year the council made just £9 million profit from parking but the figure was significantly lower than expected because the council’s cash collection agency went bust, owing the authority £1.26 million.

Ms Campbell, who also used to be Brighton and Hove's city centre manager, said: "I don't think I can think of anywhere more expensive than Brighton.

"There is no doubt people will go to other towns.

"I go to Lewes to do my Christmas shopping. It has all the vintage places and independent stores where you can get something a bit different and parking is free on Sundays."

But councillor Gill Mitchell, cabinet member for transport, said there is no evidence the city has suffered at Christmas from a lack of visitors - despite a recent fall in day tripper numbers.

Critics have called for exceptions to be made to allow free parking to boost trade in the run up to Christmas and for new options for a park and ride provision to be considered.

Cllr Mitchell dismissed suggestions of free parking at Christmas or other reductions to boost trade - despite calling for "greater flexibility within the charging structure to ensure local shopping areas are supported".

Parking profits are ringfenced and mostly go towards funding bus passes for the over 60s and concessionary bus routes.

The councils report said that the introduction of a new residents' parking areas at Fiveways. Hollingbury Road and Ditchling Gardens introduced in April had boosted the profits from on-street parking.

A further boost to council coffers came from the addition of bus lane cameras at Rottingdean - resulting in 3,000 penalty charge notices a month for the first few months - then plateauing at around 1,000 tickets each month.

The report stated the expensive car park in the city is the Lanes car park in Black Lion Street. It added that it is almost always more than three quarters full and generated more than £870,000 over the year.

The report also stated that 734 people are on waiting lists for residents' permits.

Cllr Mitchel said: "We are not trying to make as much profit as we can out of parking.

“Parking enforcement aims to keep traffic flowing and more fairly allocate scarce parking spaces. Without parking enforcement the city would be a chaotic free-for-all dominated by illegal parking. The money raised is ploughed into providing 46,000 bus passes which helps older people travel and probably keeps thousands more vehicles off the roads."

Ms Campbell added: "The rail option is abysmal and a real concern at the moment and there are no real alternatives being considered like a viable park and ride scheme."

CITY ‘HAS A REAL PROBLEM’ DESPITE BIG PARKING PROFITS

MOANING about parking charges is something of a national pastime and traffic wardens regularly come top in lists of the most hated professions.

But the £12 million profit they plough into Brighton and Hove City Council’s coffers in times of austerity means every penny is vital to prop up other services.

Striking the balance between the need to secure vital income from parking charges and not putting people off coming to Brighton and Hove is a tricky task – one the successive Labour, Green and Conservative administrations have all struggled with.

The council has defended the profit it makes, saying it has a statutory duty to fund bus passes for those over 60 at a cost of £10.2 million a year.

The council argues offering concessions such as free Christmas parking would not improve trade or increase visitors spending money in the city.

For the council enforcement measures are intended as a means of keeping spaces rotating and getting more people in – yet businesses blame sky-high parking charges for putting customers off visiting.

When parking prices were increased on the seafront in 2012, one of the city’s biggest attractions, the Sealife Centre, said 86 per cent of their visitors told them they wouldn’t come back because of issues with parking.

Soozie Campbell said: “We have a real problem.

“The council might use the money generated to make road improvements but it is at such a slow pace.

“Valley Gardens has been put back and when these works do happen its an added frustration to people coming in to town – like it has been with the seafront.”

The council is clearly wary of describing the rise in profits as a success. A spokesman was keen to point out yesterday that the profit was also boosted by the parking department reducing its costs by £1 million due to various efficiencies, including scrapping the car pound for towed-away vehicles.

The move towards Pay by Phone has also cut costs of collecting cash and repairing machines.

He added: “The latest figures show that income from on-street parking charges has remained relatively stable, rising by five per cent from 2011-12 to 2015-16 as new controlled parking zones have been introduced following consultations with residents.

“Despite the increase in transactions direct costs have fallen by almost £800,000 since 2011-12.”

Cllr Mitchell admitted that parking is a difficult issue.

She said: “If we didn’t manage parking there would be a free-for-all and parking charges is a way to do that.

“We do not consider a rise on profits a success as such. We are not trying to make as much profit as we can out of parking. It doesn’t get us anywhere.

“We are investing. Pay by Phone is increasing and we are bringing in new parking machines that take contactless cards. One area of concern is the reliability of the railway which is potentially encouraging people to come by car. We all hope that gets sorted out.”

Many have pointed to park and ride as the answer, but many administrations have tried and failed to turn that into reality.

Cllr Mitchell said: “Park and ride would be brilliant. We have always remained hopeful that a park and ride could be viable but finding a site is a whole different ball game and the arrival of the national park made it that bit more difficult. It is not off the table entirely and we will look at any new options.”

In March there were discussions about a possible park and ride in Mill Road – but no plans are being considered and Cllr Mitchell’s hopes for a future scheme are still very much a dream.

PARKING BLAMED FOR A DROP IN VISITORS

LAST year the number of daytrippers visiting Brighton and Hove dropped by almost a million – with parking cited as the major contributor.

Tourism bosses have called for concessions to encourage visitors to spend their money during busy shopping periods.

But council bosses said they were confident the city had enough front to weather the storm.

Soozie Campbell, of Brighton and Hove Tourism Alliance, said: “If the council want to make a gesture they should reduce parking for Christmas.

“Traders do 80 per cent of their year’s business at this time. For our group, parking is combined with concerns about cleanliness and the general appearance of the city which isn’t the best at the moment.”

Cllr Gill Mitchell is confident parking is not putting visitors off coming to the city – despite last year’s fall in visitors.

Cllr Mitchell said: “There is absolutely no evidence that Brighton has suffered at Christmas from a lack of visitors.

“Parking charges mean that we can ensure that there are spaces for more visitors. A family making use of free parking would mean one car parked all day. When parking is restricted it means three families can park in that same space – and each spend money in the city.

“People love coming here for Christmas shopping and everything else we have to offer and if they want to come by car and come right into the city centre then they can park in the Lanes car park.

“I think Brighton has an awful lot to offer.”

But critics argue people who live in other parts of Sussex and neighbouring counties will travel elsewhere to do their shopping – as Ms Campbell will this year.