Illegal parking is causing chaos in the heart of Brighton and Hove because thousands of drivers believe, rightly, the chances of being caught are small.

Traffic wardens employed by Sussex Police are simply overwhelmed by the scale of the problems they encounter.

Brighton and Hove Council will probably take over parking from the police later this year and may well have three times the number of parking attendants.

This should improve enforcement to such an extent that all but the most brazen offenders will think twice before parking on double yellow lines or at bus stops.

All this will help people parking in the city centre and ease the traffic flow.

Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company alone loses £500,000 a year through bad parking.

The new scheme would also have the advantage of generating income to fund local schemes such as road improvements or help for public transport.

The main worry will be whether the contractor chosen by the council is fit to do the job.Brighton and Hove's experiences with Sita, the private firm which won the rubbish contract, have not been happy.

While the firm chosen will undoubtedly have more expertise than the council in running parking, problems could arise through it having a near monopoly and if it tries to cut financial corners.

The council will have to be extremely careful in ensuring the contract is firm and that it can be properly enforced in case anything goes wrong.