Brighton is reversing a parking crackdown on motorists which has driven away visitors from the seaside resort.
The East Sussex city’s Labour-run council is cutting car parking charges, which had shot up to as much as £33.50 a day under the previous Green Party administration.
The Greens had claimed that high prices would help create a “car-free” city which would be more appealing to visitors.
But Brighton and Hove City Council has now admitted that the charges were so high that they damaged the local tourist industry by scaring away day-trippers.
Cllr Trevor Muten, the cabinet member for transport, said the parking fees had “increased to the extent they have become more of a deterrent than an incentive for some visitors”.
He added: “We have more than 200 different permit tariffs and the demand for parking has rippled from the city centre to outlying areas of the city. We need to change.”
A review conducted by the council this month found that it faced a predicted shortfall of £1.16m in parking revenue by April 2025 because of the high charges.
‘Anti-car reputation’
Cllr Alistair McNair, leader of the Conservative opposition group on the council, told The Telegraph: “Parking revenue has been falling and the council has a reputation for being anti-car.”
“We hope resident permit holders also get a reduction in their fees and this city starts to be car-friendly, which also means family and disabled-friendly.
But he warned: “This parking charge reduction, while welcome, is a gamble as revenue could fall further because the city’s reputation has been tarnished for years.”
Brighton is the one of several British cities to have attempted to disincentivise driving in recent years by charging residents to park via permits, on top of council tax bills, and increasing charges for on-street parking.
But the council’s Labour leadership, which took power in May last year, is moving away from the approach taken by a minority Green administration between July 2020 and May 2023.
Cllr Samar Bagaeen, an independent opposition councillor, hailed the council’s “about-turn”.
“The council’s approach to parking has for a number of years been both flawed and counter-productive, damaging the night-time economy in the city,” he said.
“Prices rose exponentially in all car parks over the past 10 years making even parking for one hour very poor value for money.
Steady decline since 2021
Brighton and Hove City Council said that use of council-owned car parks had steadily decreased since 2021 and average hourly fees were higher than in most other cities.
Last year, it was estimated that higher charges had reduced the council’s parking revenue by as much as £1.2 million.
The council has now announced that rates will come down at its car parks in The Lanes, Regency Square, London Road, Trafalgar Street and Norton Road.
One-hour and evening tariffs will also be reduced in a bid to support the night-time economy and encourage people into under-used car parks.
“Brighton and Hove has a bustling night-time economy and it’s vital we do whatever we can to increase footfall and support those local businesses to thrive,” Cllr Muten said.
Other cities have seen higher car parking charges introduced to reduce the use of cars.
In the London borough of Southwark, the Labour council raised the cost of permits by as much as 368 per cent to force a “reduction in vehicles”.
Lambeth’s Labour council has vowed to make the borough “diesel-free” and in May last year bumped year-long permits for diesel engines up to £140, a £42 increase on the price in 2022.
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