Tory councillors are calling for moves to increase parking charges to be reversed.

They have asked Brighton and Hove City Council to call in the decision, made last week by the powerful policy committee, to be scrutinised.

Steep charges in many on-street parking areas are proposed with the £2 city centre fee going up to £3 an hour and some outer area minimum charges rising from 10p to 50p. The decision was made to encourage more people out of cars and on to buses. A Saver bus ticket would be cheaper than many of the new charges but some parking charges are being reduced under a review to get rid of anomalies.

The new charges could bring in an extra £3 million a year to the council, which would be obliged to spend it on transport.

Tory opposition leader Garry Peltzer Dunn said: "We believe this is a financially-based decision.

"Traders in the centre of Hove will suffer because people will no longer be able to pop into their shops with the charges raised from 10p to 50p."

He said that particular rise was so big it would probably outstrip inflation for the rest of the century.

In a letter to the council, which has no overall control, top Tories say the new charges will also badly affect tourism.

They also question whether the new charges will lead to a reduction in crowded areas of Brighton and Hove.

Tories are also calling for the council to be much more open about the financing and operation of parking, saying is it often only through The Argus that information comes to light.

Monday August 02, 2004