A convoy of angry van drivers brought streets in Brighton and Hove to a standstill this morning in a second go-slow protest over Parking rules.

Hundreds of traders' vehicles crawled along the city's streets.

Electricians, plumbers, glaziers and even mobile disc jockeys joined the procession from Madeira Drive to Hove Town Hall.

All were fed up with restrictions on parking in residents' bays during working hours in Brighton and Hove.

Tony Fuller, of Fuller Bros plasterers, said: "The situation is terrible. We can't park anywhere. We are working on different jobs each day and most streets don't allow parking waivers.

"We end up putting our ten vans into car parks, which costs a lot of money."

John Floate, who works for Brighton Fire Alarms, added: "If we have several calls during the day, we have to keep going down to the town hall to get a waiver for each street.

"We have 15 vans and estimate the parking regulations have cost us £14,000 a year. This all has to get passed to our customers who already pay council tax."

More than 100 vehicles assembled on Madeira Drive, setting off at a snail's pace just after 8am.

In the 20 minutes it took for all the vehicles to leave, much of the seafront and city centre was brought to a halt.

As the convoy snaked towards its destination, protesters were greeted with a cacophony of beeping horns - most in support, others angry at being delayed.

One of the co-ordinators of Traders Against Parking Persecution, Lloyd Hampshire said: "We have had negotiations with the council and got nowhere with them.

"It seems they are trying to prolong it until we run out of steam.

"A lot of us have to carry heavy items to addresses so we need to be able to park near where we are working.

"We want a proper system of parking in Brighton and Hove where bona fide traders can get a waiver to park in the city for a minimal fee."

Fellow TAPP committee member Roger McArthur said: "We have had enough. The council is not giving way to anything we have asked for."

However, the council accused the demonstrators of "holding the city to ransom".

Transport spokesman Councillor Simon Battle said: "It is disappointing that traders decided to make it a miserable morning for Brighton and Hove residents trying to get around the city.

"Holding the city to ransom in this way is unacceptable. As a general principle it is reasonable to expect traders to pay to park when other road users, such as residents, visitors and commuters, are having to do so in the centres of Brighton and Hove.

"Under the council's new democratic structure, elected members of the environment committee will be able to review the effectiveness of a pilot traders' permit scheme later this year and decide on any improvements."

The protest was the second of its kind held by city traders over the parking waiver issue.

More than 311 vans owned by members and supporters of Tapp mounted a convoy on June 5.