Hundreds of traders have threatened to bring the city to a standstill unless council officers scrap plans for a "trader tax".

In a vote last night they demanded an urgent meeting with council chiefs before new Parking restrictions come into operation.

If the council fails to hold a meeting tomorrow the traders have vowed to go ahead with a planned 300-vehicle convoy protest through the city during rush-hour on June 5.

More than 150 people attended a Traders Against Parking Persecution (Tapp) campaign meeting at The Brunswick pub in Holland Road, Hove, last night and others sent faxes of support.

Brighton and Hove City Council announced it was introducing a £3 charge every time a trader parks in the city to carry out work at any premises from June 5.

Under the scheme, traders would have collect £3 waivers, which traders say will cost them time and more parking difficulties.

Committee chairman Jeff Hunt, of Coleman Hunt Ltd, said: "They pushed this through without any consultation, behind closed doors and they are imposing a traders' tax, which will be more expense for our people and for the residents in our city.

"We are trying to provide services to the residents and the council has not been prepared to talk to us."

He said: "I would say the only way they can stop the action on the 5th is that they agree to meet representative members of this association, committee or whatever you want to call us on Thursday.

"In that meeting we want them to agree to suspend the implementation of this scheme which is due to come into operation on the 5th."

Traders voted unanimously to demand a meeting with council bosses tomorrow.

They also agreed they would have to agree to some parking restrictions and Mr Hunt put forward a series of suggestions.

Many were against any charges being imposed but Mr Hunt suggested that was unlikely to be accepted by the council and a compromise had to be made.

He said: "Apparently every council charges so if we don't agree to some charges we are going to lose."

He told the meeting he had received a fax from a trader who suggested a voucher scheme for bona fide traders which would allow them to park for a small fee on double and single lines and some residents' parking bays as long as they parked without causing a danger or serious obstruction.

Some traders said the council's scheme could lead to them turning down jobs and residents would find it difficult to find a trader. Another trader said residents themselves should have to pay the daily parking charges imposed on traders.

Nigel Furness, a retired landscape gardener, said: "We are not expecting the public to pay for the administration of the scheme and we're happy to cover reasonable administration costs."

The traders agreed to a series of proposals, including a voucher scheme or restricted parking at certain times of the day in a bid to compromise with the council.