A PETITION calling for free parking for customers at shops in Fiveways in Brighton is due to go before councillors.

Residents and business owners have been seeking support on social media to encourage people to sign the petition.

It asks for an hour’s free parking in Preston Drove and Ditchling Road for people using the shops.

So far more than 300 people have signed the petition which is due to go before Brighton and Hove City Council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee on Tuesday.

The petition said: “We believe that retaining the one-hour free parking for customers will encourage shoppers to continue to support local shops already suffering after a year of Covid-19 related closures.

“The original introduction of pay and display parking in 2015 in Preston Drove had a significant and detrimental impact on trade for all businesses in the area.

“The current free parking was instated after our original petition to the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee in March 2015.

“We would like the parking to stay as it is: one hour free parking, no return for two hours.

“While we understand that the council faces numerous financial challenges, we do not believe that retaining the limited free spaces in Preston Drove and Ditchling Road would have a significant impact on income for the council and would be extremely damaging to the local area and businesses, which would be damaging to the city, the local area and the vibrancy and diversity of shopping for local people.”

The environment transport and sustainability committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 4pm on Tuesday. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.

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