Angry traders are to bring rush-hour traffic to a halt in their fifth "white van protest" against a Parking policy.

The centre of Brighton and Hove will come to a standstill during Tuesday morning's rush-hour as vans decked in protest banners with horns blaring clog up the seafront.

This time the electricians, plumbers, builders and others will add to the chaos by boarding buses with ladders and other equipment to demonstrate how it is impossible for them to use public transport.

The protest is again being organised by Traders Against Parking Persecution (Tapp), made up of small businesses throughout Sussex who need to park in the heavily-controlled city streets.

Builder Roger McArthur, vice-chairman of Tapp, said: "We've been talking to the council but they still refuse to accept we work after 4pm and seem to think they are only 250 traders working in the city when there are, in fact, 2,500.

"We're inviting any small trader who is being restricted from carrying out their work by Brighton and Hove City Council's parking polices to join us on Madeira Drive, Brighton, from 8am on Tuesday.

"With the council elections coming up in May, we want the people of this city to know why some of the people they previously relied upon to do jobs in their homes are not coming to certain areas.

"The council has also suggested we should try to find alternative ways of getting to work, such as by bus, so when we finish our protest outside the parking office at Hove Town Hall, some of us will get our equipment together and try and get the bus to work. We'll see how easy that is."

Environment councillor Chris Morley said: "We don't believe another protest is necessary. We have made some major concessions to the traders, such as allowing them to park in voucher and residents parking bays all day until 4pm and opening the waiver office earlier.

"Each time the council moves forward and makes a concession the traders demand something else. We cannot continue to be held to ransom in this way."