As you point out in your leading article (The Argus, April 22), it is no surprise Brighton parking vouchers are being traded on the black market.

Black markets are inevitable when there is a multi-tier pricing system. In the city centre, you pay about £3 an hour for a parking space if you are a visitor. This amount will buy a fortnight's parking if you are a resident with a permit.

When the present scheme was at the consultation stage, I suggested that Brighton and Hove City Council should aim to charge the going rate for parking spaces in each area.

Residents should perhaps have a concession, but the price of residents' permits has been the same for at least the past ten years, giving them a 99.8 per cent discount.

Charging the going rate would have avoided the black market, got rid of waiting lists and provided the Council with additional funds to pay for improvements to make life in Brighton more pleasant for pedestrians and cyclists.

  • Henry Law, Queen's Gardens, Brighton