Being a gardener and working in the Brighton and Hove area, I have to make frequent calls to homes around the city.

Parking has always been a problem, as has traffic, but parking tickets are the most recent punishment for traders since one often cannot get parking waivers for all clients.

Last Monday morning, I had been parked in Park Crescent for a little more than an hour when I came out to discover a ticket, another £30 of my income.

However, a resident came out and told me to move my vehicle because a traffic warden had attempted to have it towed.

But my small, obviously commercial van was on a single yellow, causing no obstruction.

The resident had seen the warden approach my vehicle and call a tow truck, the truck had arrived and the resident had engaged them, telling them there was no reason to tow my vehicle and that I was working locally and causing no obstruction.

Thanks to the actions of this person, I received only a ticket but what about all the other people out there who don't have friendly locals to help them?

What about us small commercial traders being ticketed out of business?

Is this zero-tolerance approach about keeping the streets clear or are we being fined to raise extra cash for Brighton and Hove City Council and private contractors?

I would like to know what sort of incentives are given to traffic wardens to tow away vehicles such as mine and what does the council spend the money on?

I know traffic wardens have a job to do but so do us local traders.

Many of will simply not work in central Brighton because of the combined effects of traffic, parking, ticketing and now towing.

-Matt Hewes, matthewes@aptevents.com