A FURIOUS motorist has said drivers are paying for everybody else and getting nothing in return after a council announced plans to raise parking charges.

Steve Percy of the People’s Parking Protest said Brighton and Hove City Council’s proposals to increase parking permit prices would not persuade commuters to leave their cars at home.

Residents’ permits will increase by £20 per year to £150, while traders’ permits will now cost £800 annually.

But the Southwick resident said motorists would get nothing back for the higher prices they will pay if the plans are approved.

“The poor little motorist pays for everybody else but gets nothing in return,” Mr Percy said.

“Increasing parking charges will not convince people to ditch their cars.

“If anything, parking should be made cheaper to convince more people to come to Brighton.

“Otherwise businesses and traders will have to increase their prices and that way everyone ends up paying.”

Mr Percy said the city council as a whole “did not have motorists’ interests at heart”.

He said roadwork developments such as the Valley Gardens scheme, which will convert the Aquarium roundabout into a T-junction, were creating more congestion for drivers. “Traffic and congestion has got worse in the city centre because roads are being narrowed for cycle lanes,” Mr Percy said.

“If you’re trying to cut down traffic, then narrowing roads won’t be anything as that means longer queues and more congestion.

“I can understand why the city council is trying to fight pollution but to punish the motorist isn’t a good idea because you’ll only increase congestion.

“The only way to convince people to ditch their cars is to make public transport cheaper.

“If a family of four is going to get on a bus, they’ll want to know if it’s cheaper than driving.”

But a city council spokeswoman said increasing parking charges would improve air quality and reduce congestion in Brighton.

“The vast majority of visitor permits are proposed to remain at the same price as well as the medium and low on-street tariff rates,” she said.

“Any surplus generated from parking charges after direct costs is spent on concessionary bus passes for older and disabled people, subsidising bus routes and transport improvement projects.”