A refuse collection shake-up has sparked outrage among residents where the new system is to be tested.

Household collections will stop in 31 streets in central Brighton and Hove from February. People will be expected to put their rubbish in communal bins.

Refuse will be collected at least twice a week from 116 communal bins. More than 4,000 homes will be affected.

Brighton and Hove City Council hopes the year-long trial will solve the problem of rubbish spilling from sacks left on pavements.

The new system, being trialled using Government cash, is expected to release funds for more door-to-door recycling collections.

Residents where the pilot project will operate have lambasted the plan, saying dozens of parking spaces would be lost and the bins would disfigure conservation areas.

Tony Davies, of Vernon Terrace, who has started a Say No To New Bins campaign, said: "People around here have paid for parking permits and they are going to lose their parking spaces."

There are additional fears elderly people would find the bins difficult to use and the containers could become a magnet for people outside the area to dump rubbish.

Fellow campaigner Paul Vitalis, of Clifton Road, said few people knew what was planned.

Regency ward councillor Roy Pennington, who has already organised one meeting for residents, said the trial would not be appropriate in some streets, such as Powis Villas, Victoria Road, Norfolk Road and Montpelier Terrace.

Brunswick and Adelaide ward councillor Paul Elgood said the trial should take place in fewer streets and traditional collections should be kept for people who did not want to use the new bins.

The council defended the scheme, stressing it was a trial and promising a thorough test of public opinion.

Environment councillor Gill Mitchell said a waste survey had revealed rubbish spewing on to streets from sacks was one of the main concerns of residents.

She said there was also widespread popular support for door-to-door recycling collections.

Elderly people, and others who found the new bins difficult to use, would be given coloured refuse sacks to leave outside their homes.

Enforcement officers would patrol to ensure the bins were not being used by fly-tippers.

The bins would be sited to minimise the number of car parking spaces that would be lost.

Coun Mitchell said consultation had so far been limited by a shortage of money but leaflets had been sent to homes and an exhibition to give people information about the plan would be staged this week.

She said: "All I am asking is the residents give it a go."

An exhibition on the scheme will be held at the Old Market, Upper Market Street, Hove, tomorrow from 6pm to 8pm and on Thursday from 11am to 1pm.

Homes will be affected by the trial in: Albert Road, Alfred Road, Alexandra Villas, Bath Street, Leopold Road, Buckingham Road, Compton Avenue, Lansdowne Street, Brunswick Street West, Farm Road, Brunswick Place, Cambridge Road, York Road, Norfolk Road, Western Street, Oriental Place, Sillwood Street, Bedford Place, Montpelier Road, Goldsmid Road, Vernon Terrace, Montpelier Crescent, Victoria Road, Powis Villas, Powis Road, St Michael's Place, Belvedere Terrace, Norfolk Terrace, Brunswick Road, Denmark Terrace and Clifton Road.