Why are traders protesting against the new £3 parking permit charge?

After all, they will just pass it on to their customers plus the time they spend applying for the permit, plus VAT, thereby adding about £20 to the cost of a call.

The people who are losing out are the city-centre residents who will have to pay the bill. Presumably, the reason they are not protesting is because Brighton and Hove City Council has introduced the new charges without consulting local residents or even informing them.

So much for listening government.

It is not unreasonable to ask people to pay for the use of road space where potential demand exceeds supply but whoever dreamt up the new arrangements clearly has not an ounce of practical common sense and ought to be sacked.

Instead of asking the tradesmen to waste their time and their customers' money queuing outside the parking voucher office (thereby adding to congestion), all that is necessary is to make the householders and shopkeepers responsible for obtaining the vouchers.

They should cost no more pro rata than a resident's parking permit, which, at £80 a year, works out at 25 pence a day.

This could be achieved simply by selling "Working at address" scratch cards at £5 for a book of 20.

-Henry Law, Queen's Gardens, Brighton