Motorists are to be hit by big increases in parking charges to fund the Government's OAP bus pass fiasco.

Price rises for resident parking permits, visitor vouchers, pay-and-display spaces and a car park will raise an extra £1.4 million a year, plugging a hole in Brighton and Hove City Council's finances.

The move comes after the council was left with a £3.5 million shortfall from the Government-sponsored free bus pass scheme.

The new charges, due to come in from April, include: resident parking permits up from £80 to £104 pay-and-display bays in all controlled parking zones increasing, bringing in another £400,000 a year resident parking permits in light touch areas will increase from £40 to £60 visitor permits at £2 per day rather than £1, raising another £360,000 parking bay suspensions increasing from £10 to £20 a day all day parking in the Norton Road car park, Hove, rising from £2.50 to £3.50 The extra £1.4 million from these charges and £400,000 savings from bringing back in-house five NCP car parks will bring the total parking income to £15 million.

Geoffrey Theobald, chairman of the environment committee, said the increases would free up cash to improve parks, bring in community wardens and open the Jubilee Library on Sundays.

He said: "If we didn't have to find £3.5 million we would have a lower council tax or wouldn't have to put the charges up so far "No-one wants to put up charges but this is our first year in administration. We have inherited parks with no park keepers, gardens with no flower beds and a new library that we have to keep closed on Sundays.

"There simply has to be more investment."

The council argues that the charges for resident parking have not changed in the last 10 years and permits cost £180 in Birmingham, £150 in Manchester, £110 in Westminster and £100 in Sheffield and Bournemouth.

Around £125,000 will be raised from cutting the numbers of council staff with free parking spaces.

Council leader Brian Oxley said: "As the city's 8 million visitors bring over 3 million cars annually, it makes sense that they pay towards the upkeep of our city."

In a budget report to be presented to the policy and resources committee next Thursday, the council reveals the pressures on the budget from the concessionary bus fares scheme forced the council to look for "significant additional resources from a review of parking" to balance the books.

Lib Dem councillor Paul Elgood branded the increases a "tax on parking".

He said: "Residents value their visitor permits as a lifeline for their family and friends.

"With waiting lists for permits, for some people these are the only chance they have to park close to their homes.

"Instead of just hiking the fees, the council should seek to make parking easier for residents and reduce the number of cars coming into the city by providing attractive environmentally friendly alternatives."

Les Hamilton, Labour spokesman on finance, said: "It is clear that the Tories have simply jacked up parking charges to plug a £1 million hole in their budget.

"We are particularly concerned about the increase in visitor permits that will mean even those without a car will face a bill of £104 per year just so that their friends and family can visit."

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