AN ENTREPRENEUR has come up with an idea which he believes could ease traffic congestion in Brighton and Hove.

Noel Sesto says he can provide technology so that private car parks can safely rent out spaces when city car parks are full.

Mr Sesto argues there is a large amount of off-street private parking across Brighton and Hove which is underused so he has created an app which could fill up these spaces.

He said: "Most commercial private gated car parks only ever sit at 60 percent capacity. On evenings and weekends they are virtually empty.

"Using our gkey mobile access solution, private companies who own the spaces could offer paying users on demand access to their available parking at any given time.

"Tapping into the city's parking shortage would generate car park owners ongoing income as well as being part of the solution to the current congestion.

"It's a solution that could work in any city.

"Put simply, drivers coming into the city would go on to the app, see where available spaces are and could then book one of them. They would have to subscribe to the app in advance.

"We will use mobile technology to open the security gates, and believe me there are so many of these sites in the city.

"It will get cars off our roads or queuing at public car parks and will be cheaper than paying at some of the car parks which are very expensive.

"It's faster, easier and cheaper."

Noel has been running Control Freq Ltd - a technology company based in the FIELD site at Lewes Road, Brighton - for ten years.

He has now set up GKEY, a spin-off based on providing mobile access control to secure parking sites.

He says the roads are so congested in the city rapid solutions need to be found - and he thinks he has the perfect answer.

He said: "I am an innovator and innovation is what is needed to get to grips with the ever increasing traffic problems in Brighton and Hove.

"A universal solution is needed for more efficient use of under-utilised car parking.

"New car registrations are around three million each year so demand is increasing at a much faster rate than available parking.

"It is clearly a big problem in any big city."

A week ago The Argus reported that Brighton and Hove has made the most parking revenue from motorists of any council in England outside the capital, according to a new study.

The city council has raked in the largest amount outside London at £20.1 million, with Nottingham in second place (£13.6 million) and Milton Keynes in third (£10.8 million).

The news comes as research shows traffic congestion is costing Brighton businesses a staggering £9 million a year in lost productivity.

A new report found traffic in the city increases the time each vehicle spends on the road by 129 hours a year – more than 16 working days.