Car parking charges must be raised by £2 per day if cities like Brighton and Hove are to cut traffic congestion, according to the Government's leading transport adviser.

Professor David Begg, head of the Commission for Integrated Transport, proposed the controversial hike in a bid to restrain motorists from driving into town.

Existing policies to boost public transport had not gone far enough, he said in a report to ministers.

But increasing parking charges by £2 in towns and cities would lead to a significant shift away from cars, with a 25 per cent rise in the number of people using buses.

Prof Begg said: "Making it more difficult and more expensive to park the car is the most likely measure to encourage infrequent or non-users of buses to use them more."

Car parks in Brighton charge up to £12 for all-day parking. An all-day city bus ticket costs £2.40. Traders fear increasing the daily fee for motorists could drive shoppers away.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company said:

"Our main concern is to reduce congestion on the roads. If this results from raising charges then it's a good thing for us."

He said a 25 per cent increase in passengers would mean more money for improved services and added: "It would be a gradual process and I'm sure we could meet the challenge."

A spokesman for Southern, which runs Brighton station car park, said: "We put our charges up once a year and we have a lot of factors to take into consideration.

"We will take heed of what Professor Begg says but it won't influence our charges."

A council spokeswoman said: "The council is involved in a range of measures to encourage less car use in the city.

"These include investment in bus services, road improvements to encourage cycling and walking, bus corridors, projects such as rapid transport and park-and-ride and a city car club."

She said the cost of parking should be higher than public transport to encourage people on to buses and trains.

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling is considering Prof Begg's recommendations as he draws up plans to cope with a predicted fall in the cost of motoring.

Brighton-based commuter David Edwards said: "I'm all in favour of getting more people on to public transport but to do that they are going to have to improve their service.

"The train I take every day has been on time once in three years." The recommendations are being considered by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling.

City centre manager Soozie Campbell said: "It's just another indication that we need a park-and-ride system."

She said a trader in Chichester told her it was busier there than in Brighton, even though they had the same geographical problems, because traffic flow was better and parking cheaper.

Tuesday July 06, 2004