CAMPAIGNERS petitioning for controlled zones to tackle “parking chaos” in their area were disappointed after being turned down last night.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, who chairs Brighton and Hove City Council’s environment and transport committee told the petitioners a consultation in the Surrenden area would not be bumped up the schedule agreed last year.

Instead they will have to wait until 2020.

Her response came despite the support of ward councillors and a deputation which showed 89 per cent of Surrenden residents think parking has got worse in the last three years.

Presenting the deputation, campaigner Rynd Smith described the parking “chaos” on the streets.

He said roads were taken up by parked cars belonging to commuters, bus users, parents for nearby schools, sixth form students, and that Enterprise Car Hire used the streets as an overflow depot.

He said: “Commercial and recreational vehicles park because they can’t get permits elsewhere.

“TripAdvisor tells Brighton visitors to avoid charges by parking free in our area.”

He said 79 per cent of residents polled said bad parking was a parking hazard, 61 per cent thought the pedestrian environment was dangerous for the elderly and 79 per cent said high-sided vehicles were a particular problem.

He warned: “A tragedy is only a matter of time, whether it be a child hit, a serious collision, or an ambulance or fire engine delayed.”

The campaigners argued a controlled parking zone in such a large area would quickly pay for itself and said the council should be able to proceed with a Surrenden consultation this year alongside other consultations.

But Cllr Mitchell said there would be no change to the timetable.

She said parking problems experienced in Surrenden were the same as those elsewhere in the city.

She added: “I understand why you would wish this to be moved forward.

“However at the October 2017 meeting the timetable for parking consultations was set and officer resources allocated.”

She said resident and council views would be taken into account once the consultation got under way.

Green councillor Pete West told her: “I think you need to respond more quickly.

“It takes years at the moment, and that’s not acceptable.”

Campaigners held a lively protest outside Hove Town Hall before the meeting.

Afterwards, they said they would not rest.

Mr Smith told The Argus: “We are quite profoundly disappointed by Cllr Mitchell’s message

“We believe that the situation has materially changed, which meant the council in fairness should look at our situation again since they set their timetable.

“But we also had brought to them a financial solution.

“If our scheme had been designated it would have brought in a third of a million pounds of a year – more than sufficient to pay for the costs of the scheme.”