City traders told to use public transport to conduct their business staged a protest by trying to carry their tools to work on a bus.

The protest was organised by Chris Naish, a garage mechanic based in Brunswick Street East, Hove.

He and his fellow traders decided to take to the streets to highlight their concerns about the new parking rules which come into effect on Monday.

More than ten protesters gathered at a nearby bus stop in Palmeira Square, Hove, carrying the items they needed to go about their work.

Mr Naish took a full-length car exhaust pipe, a tank of petrol and a car engine on a trolley.

Window cleaner Mark Peake arrived with a 10ft ladder and a mop and bucket.

Another protester needed help to carry ten heavy bags of builders' sand.

Each time a bus arrived, the protesters asked to be allowed on board but were turned away by the drivers who said their equipment was too bulky and dangerous.

Mr Naish said: "I own a garage and I need cars to work. I am in a permit holders-only area but I have been allowed a permit for my van. The council has refused to give me any transferable permits for my customers' cars.

"There is nowhere to park them apart from inside my premises, where I only have two spaces. This has been a garage since 1910, long before the parking scheme was thought of."

Mr Naish and other local traders said a less tolerant attitude to parking would have serious consequences for their businesses.

He said: "Instead of giving us permits the council has said we should use public transport as much as possible.

"That is why we decided to make this protest to show them how ridiculous it would be. Hove just does not need this parking scheme."