Brighton and Hove Council reverts to free guest parking permits after resident feedback
Brighton: The council has decided to scrap those match-day “scratch card” parking permits. Residents near the football ground in Falmer had to buy them for guests, which wasn’t sitting well with anyone.
These scratch permits were introduced last year, replacing the free ones that used to be available in Coldean and Moulsecoomb on match days. But it seems the change didn’t go over too well.
Brighton and Hove City Council listened to the locals and is now backtracking. Labour councillor Mitchie Alexander, who represents the area, is pretty happy about it. He said they’re going back to free guest permits for residents in zones B and D.
They held public meetings to hear what people thought. The councillor mentioned that residents shouldn’t have to pay just because of football games at the Amex. It’s great to see them taking action.
This month, everyone living in those areas will get new guest permits in the mail. Plus, the council plans to roll out a “virtual” system in the summer. This will let residents register guest permits online, which is a nice upgrade.
They’re also promising help for those who might struggle with the digital side of things. The council explained that the initial change was meant to prevent fraud, but it ended up costing residents more.
So, residents in zones B and D will receive two paper permits along with a letter on how to use them. Later in May, they’ll get more info on applying for the new virtual permits.
When the next season kicks off, the council will start with warning notices instead of parking tickets. But after a grace period, anyone without an activated virtual permit on match days can expect a penalty charge notice.
Every resident aged 17 and over will get one event-day permit based on their vehicle registration and one free guest permit. The council is working on refining the system to better meet everyone’s needs.
