Taxi fares in parts of Sussex are among the most expensive in Britain.

A two-mile daytime trip in Brighton and Hove or Adur costs £5, more than £1 above the national average.

The prices have been revealed in a report by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

It found the rates set by Brighton and Hove City Council and Adur District Council are the fifth most expensive in Britain. The national average for a two-mile journey is £3.93.

Both councils and taxi operators have said the high prices reflect the cost of living in the area.

A spokeswoman for the city council said: "We have developed a formula to set fares which takes into account the costs of running a taxi and average earnings across the city.

"A slightly higher fare means you get a higher standard. Since the tourist trade is so important to Brighton, we feel the standard of taxis should reflect that."

An Adur spokeswoman said its fares were similar to Brighton and Hove because the taxi firms wanted uniformity.

Kevin Fry, managing director of 414141 Carcabs, which covers Brighton and Hove and Adur, said: "The cost of running a cab and living here is higher."

There are 478 taxis operating in Brighton and Hove, with plans to allocate five new licences annually from April next year. Adur has 68.

However, the OFT recommends repealing laws which allow councils to cap the number of taxis, increasing Britain's taxi fleet by 15,000 and cutting waiting times by ten per cent.