The centre of Brighton and Hove could grind to a halt during Monday morning's rush hour as hundreds of van drivers stage a protest against council Parking policies.

Tradesmen and small businesses plan a traffic-jamming convoy of up to 700 vehicles snaking round the city in two streams.

Both convoys will converge on Hove Town Hall at about 9am, then do a circular tour of the surrounding streets sounding their horns and displaying banners demanding a fairer deal on parking.

It is the second protest by the tradesmen, members of Traders Against Parking Persecution.

The last protest on June 5, which they described as a "taster," saw 300 vans drive slowly through the city towards Hove Town Hall.

Spokesman Roger McArthur said: "This time we are really going for it.

"We want any dissatisfied tradesman or small business fed up with the way this council is persecuting us regarding parking regulations to join us at Madeira Drive at 7.30am on Monday."

Tradesmen have organised the protest following several meetings with council officials and councillors.

They are protesting against the introduction of the £3 waiver charge on June 5, which allows them to park on yellow lines all day without fear of a ticket. They have to queue for waivers each day and want a quarterly or annual scheme or a voucher system they can use whenever they get a job in a parking-controlled area.

They are also demanding changes to the pilot traders' permit scheme.

They pay £300 a year to park in voucher bays, pay-and-display bays and residents' parking bays for up to two hours until 4pm, when they may suddenly have to leave jobs.