Car parks in Sussex are among the most expensive in the South East according to a new report.

Motorists parking at Gatwick or Brighton are being hit with car parking charges well in excess of other towns or cities in the region and are among the top 100 most expensive car parks in the country.

Research carried out by the GMB union shows that NCP car parks at Gatwick's North Terminal charge £3.70 for one hour - the third highest in the South East and 52nd highest in the country.

That compares to the 10p motorists pay for an hour at an NCP car park in Reading, the 50p in Bracknell Forest or the 75p paid in Portsmouth.

The NCP car park in North Road, Brighton, is the fifth most expensive car park in the region and the 80th highest in the country, with a charge of £2.80 for one hour.

Only car parks at Luton Airport and Heathrow came higher in the South East league of car parking shame.

Research carried out by The Argus also suggests that motorists in other parts of Sussex are being charged substantially more than in other parts of the country.

In Chichester one hour in an NCP car park costs £1.70, in Worthing £1.40. In Eastbourne and Hastings, a minimum of two hours costs £2.80.

Parking watchdogs claim motorists are being unfairly targeted in areas perceived as being more wealthy and call for uniform car parking charges in every town and city.

Steve Percy, chairman of the People's Parking Protest lobby group, said: "It doesn't surprise me that car parks in Brighton and Gatwick are among the most expensive and quite frankly some of the charges are disgusting.

"Motorists are among the most taxed people in the country and this is simply yet another unfair charge they are facing and one which is probably affecting tourism income for Brighton and Hove.

"I would like to see uniform charges and uniform rules for parking in every town and city in the UK so that when you travel from place to place you know where you stand."

Prices in some locations in Sussex have risen after council car parks were privatised and run by firms including NCP.

Council-owned car parks in Brighton and Hove remain cheaper.

The Lanes multi-storey car park in Brighton charges £1.60 for one hour's parking although it is less than half a mile from the NCP car park in North Road, which charges £1.20 more. NCP declined to comment on the GMB report.

miles.godfrey@theargus.co.uk