The red routes will stretch nearly 2.5kms up Lewes Road and London Road in Brighton as part of the city council’s bid to tackle “antisocial parking” and improve traffic flow.

ANPR cameras and traffic wardens will fine motorists £70 if they park on double red lines.

Brighton and Hove City Council said this will start to be enforced by early April.

Traders gave a mixed reaction to the double red lines being introduced on two of the main arteries into Brighton.

The council confirmed to The Argus that anyone who stops or pulls over to let an emergency service vehicle through will not be fined.

The chairman of the council’s transport and sustainability committee, councillor Trevor Muten, said: “Red routes make our city safer. The new red routes are part of our work to tackle anti-social parking, to improve air quality and to keep traffic in the city moving.

Cars on the red route in Preston Road, Brighton (Image: The Argus)

“We agreed them in December following a large public consultation exercise last year. More than twice as many respondents were in favour of the proposals as against them.

“For full information about how our red routes work please visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/red-routes.

Business owners have had a mixed reaction to the changes. Pictured, Ishaq Karimi, owner of Pamir Grocery in Preston Road, Brighton (Image: The Argus)

“Red routes are already in place in many parts of the country and help to keep traffic moving in busy areas. This helps to improve journey times and reduce air pollution. They also improve safety for:

• pedestrians - by preventing anti-social parking
• cyclists - who no longer need to manoeuvre around vehicles parked in cycle lanes or on double lines
• people using buses - with vehicles no longer parking in bus stops, it will be safer to board and alight
• drivers - who will no longer have to pull out to pass cars parked anti-socially

“Line painting is due to be completed by the end of this week. Warning notices will be issued initially to give people time to get used to them, with enforcement starting in early April.

“Blue Badge holders can be picked up or dropped off, so long as the vehicle is not parked. We will use discretion in cases where, for example, a wheelchair is being taken out of a vehicle.”

The £70 fines will be reduced to £35 if paid within two weeks, the same charge as parking on double yellows.

Where will the red routes be?

Use the sliders below to see where the red routes will be.

Lewes Road

London Road/Preston Road

Who is exempt from the red route?

Blue badge holders will be allowed to stop on the red route for a short time to pick up and drop off disabled passengers but only in the designated parking bays or disabled parking bays.

Blue badge holders can park on a single or double yellow line for up to three hours as long as there is not a loading restriction.

Licensed Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are allowed to stop for a short time to drop off and pick up customers.

ANPR and CCTV cameras will be used to enforce the red routes (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

Emergency service vehicles are exempt from restrictions and can stop anywhere along the route. Refuse and recycling vehicles will also be unaffected.

People moving house or having work done to their property which would require a large delivery can request a parking bay suspension via the council website.

People can give feedback on the red routes for the first six months of the scheme until September.