Traders will disrupt rush hour traffic for the fourth time when they stage one of their biggest protests against a Parking policy.

The centre of Brighton and Hove is set to grind to a halt during rush hour on Monday morning as vans decked in protest banners drive along the seafront with their horns blaring.

The protest is being organised by Traders Against Parking Persecution (TAPP), which is made up of small firms who need to park in the heavily-controlled city centre.

Previous protests in June, August and September by builders, plumbers, electricians and other service firms, led to severe disruption, with traffic at times brought to a standstill.

Roger McArthur, a builder and spokesman for TAPP, said: "We have restricted the size of some of our previous protests to 100 vehicles. This time we are really going for it.

"We are inviting any small trader who is being restricted from carrying out their work by these parking polices to join us in Madeira Drive on Monday from 7.30am.

"We have been talking to the council for months and we are getting nowhere. All we have got is a small concession for one of their offices to open half an hour earlier, so we can buy the £3 parking waiver tickets.

"With the council elections coming up in May, we want people to know why some of the firms they previously relied on to do jobs are not coming to certain areas."

The protest will leave Madeira Drive at 8am to drive along the seafront to Hove Town Hall, making a circular tour of neighbouring streets.

The traders feel since the council took over control of parking in the city, it has targeted those who need to park in the centre to carry out their work.

The traders are fed up with having to queue for parking waivers each day and want a permanent waiver on a quarterly or annual basis or a voucher system.

They are also demanding changes to the traders' permit scheme.

At present they pay £300 a year, which allows them to park in voucher bays, pay-and-display bays and residents' parking bays for two hours at a time until 4pm.

Many builders, plumbers and electricians say it is ridiculous to suddenly have to leave jobs every two hours and at 4pm to avoid getting £60 parking tickets.

Mr McArthur said: "The council does not seem to realise you can't suddenly leave a plastering job every two hours and then finally at 4pm."

Brighton police are making arrangements to try to ensure traffic flows as freely as possible on Monday morning.

Councillor Heather James, deputy chairman of the council's environment committee, said: "We believe it is unnecessary to hold another demonstration.

"The council is always happy to meet the traders and discuss their concerns."