Car Parking giant National Car Parks is believed to be the front runner for a £2.3 million contract to wage war on illegal parking.

Brighton and Hove Council is due to decide which firm will be awarded the city-wide contract today.

The city council is due to take over responsibility from Sussex Police for issuing parking tickets and towing away vehicles in the summer.

The council expects the 25 traffic wardens who currently patrol Brighton and Hove to be replaced by triple the number of new parking attendants.

Money from fines and tow-away charges will stay in Brighton and Hove, rather than continue to go to the Treasury.

Profits from the new arrangement must by law be used to improve transport in the city.

The council hopes the scheme will make £500,000 in the first five years.

Parking tickets are expected to rise from £30 to £40, although there would be a reduced charge for drivers who paid within two weeks. Drivers would also be charged to recover towed-away vehicles.

Endorsable parking offences would remain the responsibility of the police.

Ministers said parking restrictions should be extended before councils are allowed to take over enforcement.

Residents' parking schemes already operate in central Brighton, Kemp Town, and Brunswick and a scheme in central Hove is due to come into force later this year.

John Ballance, lead environment councillor, said local people had been calling for better enforcement of illegal parking for years.

The cost of taking over parking enforcement is almost £2 million, of which the successful contractor would pick up £816,000.