Brighton and Hove traders to protest over parking price hike (From The Argus)
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Brighton and Hove traders to protest over parking price hike
12:00pm Thursday 26th January 2012 in Business News
Up to 100 traders are expected to bring traffic to a standstill before a town hall meeting.
Businesses and firms, led by the Traders Need Transport (TNT) group, will drive their vans and cars around Hove Town Hall at 2.30pm today (January 26) to protest against increases in parking permit fees. This will include members of campaign group Traders Against Parking Persecution (Tapp), which held a series of similar protests in 2002.
Elliott Raggio, of TNT, said: “We hope for a large amount of vehicles protesting in a calm and professional manner and that the council listens to the deputation, takes on board the protest and scraps their proposals on traders and business permits.”
Roger McArthur, of Tapp, said: “I've had people on the phone asking us why we don’t join in. It’s going to really affect us.”
Original budget proposals suggested an increase from £350 to £750 in the cost of traders’ permits but this has now been reduced to £600.
Business permits will now go up from £175 to £300 rather than £400.
The local authority said it was urging businesses and traders to take up quarterly permits as this would help with cash flow.
Under plans, traders’ permits will rise from £90 to £160 while business permits will increase from £53 to £85.
Transport cabinet member Ian Davey said: “Our drive to promote quarterly payments, coupled with our recent reduction to our proposed business permit prices, shows that we are listening to businesses and doing what we can for them, despite the huge pressures of central Government cuts and rising congestion in the city.”
He said it would be less than £1 a day for businesses and less than £1.80 for traders.
Comments(6)
SteveHove
says...
12:45pm Thu 26 Jan 12
davyboy
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1:24pm Thu 26 Jan 12
greenpaws
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5:39pm Thu 26 Jan 12
Austerity means we're all in it together. If they don't like it they should lobby the Tory government not attack fair proposals.
The % may seem high but it is from a very low base.
Would the the small % of local traders prefer for children of vulnerable people to suffer, would they prefer a higher than inflation council tax rise affecting all their customers?
Everybody has to play their part. By declaring more in cost for some it may mean they have to declare more of their 'cash' income on their tax return.
It is outrageous self-interested profiteering and greed in a time when the most vulnerable need the most support.
If I pay £40 for a call out charge, I would like the £2 or £1 or less a day to at least to go to the council to help prevent against the nasty Tory cuts.
I will note all those signed up demonstrators and boycott their businesses and encourage others to do the same. I want responsible caring local businesses. Most of us are in the community but some just want to exploit it and take the fruits.
papa_melons
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6:00pm Thu 26 Jan 12
Pork William
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6:52pm Thu 26 Jan 12
doggle says...
12:14pm Thu 26 Jan 12