BRIGHTON and Hove has been named the fourth most expensive city in which to park.

A survey found just London, Edinburgh and Cambridge are more expensive for motorists, with the average daily price to park in Brighton and Hove a staggering £18.40.

The Scottish capital came in at an average of £19 a day, Cambridge £18.60, with Londoners having to pay around £35 for a 24 hour period.

Much of Brighton and Hove City Council maintained parking in central Brighton costs £3.50 an hour, with rates rising to £6 for two hours and £10 for three.

Closer to the seafront, visitors can expect to pay £3 for an hour, £5 for two, £10 for four and £15 for 11 hours.

The rate for private multi-storey parking is similar with visitors staying in the North Road NCP paying £4 for an hour, £8 for two, £13 for three, £18 for four and £25 for 24 hours.

Steve Percy, founder of the Peoples’ Parking Protest Group, said the prices were damaging for the city.

He said: “The council must be very careful because they will put people off visiting the city.

“Motorists appear to be footing the bill for all the so-called road improvements in Brighton and Hove and I don’t think it is fair.”

The survey was carried out by parking app JustPark.

Councillor Ian Davey, the council’s lead member for transport, pointed out that many of the prices in the survey were not local authority car parks.

He said: “Any surplus income from parking in Brighton and Hove is invested back into transport for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors.

“Specifically the surplus was used to subsidise free bus travel for older people (£9.2 million) which is expected to rise to over £10 million this year, as well as capital investment for transport infrastructure, road safety and public transport improvements.”