By Callum Cyrus

Drivers in Brighton and Hove will soon see parking permits processed in a single day, thanks to a £273,000 investment in a new permit service.

The speedier online service will aim to shorten the five day turnaround that drivers currently face when applying for and renewing their residential and visitor parking permits.

Brighton and Hove City Council approved the investment to save at the planning and resources committee meeting on October 17.

Councillor Peter West said: “This is the way people want to conduct their business, they don’t want to be filling out forms and buying stamps.”

Plans for the service to adhere to responsive design, a web approach that displays pages on all screen sizes, should allow users to process parking permits on their smartphones.

The council expects savings of £100,000 a year from the replacement of physical permits by virtual ones, and the associated reduction in stationery and postage used.