Proposal for free parking at Christmas voted down.
Conservative councillors are furious with their Labour and Green counterparts for voting down their proposal to offer residents and visitors to the city free parking over the Christmas period.
Councillor Steve Bell, who proposed the Conservative motion, said: “Brighton & Hove has an unenviable reputation for ripping off motorists and makes the biggest profit from parking charges of any Council outside of London. It really wouldn’t have taken much for the Labour Administration to give this small gesture of seasonal goodwill to our residents, visitors and most importantly, the local businesses who depend so heavily on Christmas trade.”
Councillor Lee Wares, who seconded the motion, added: “We have recently learnt that the number of day trippers to the city has fallen by around 1 million. What better way to try and encourage some of these people back than to offer them free parking over the festive season. We were specifically targeting car parks in places such as London Road and Norton Road in Hove, not car parks in the most popular shopping areas in the city centre. Traders in these areas will be especially disappointed with the Labour and Green Parties.”