Residents whose lives are being made a misery by Parking regulations are setting up a pressure group to fight for a fairer deal.

Car owners in the Seven Dials and West Hill areas of Brighton, close to the station, say people are being forced to move and businesses are no longer attracted to the area because of the tough restrictions.

They have formed a group, called People's Parking Protest, which will hold its first meeting on Wednesday at the Railway Club, The Belmont, starting at 7.30pm.

The aim is to start a campaign to challenge what the group sees as the over-

regulation of parking.

The roads near the station are among the most congested in Brighton and Hove.

Numerous occupants of flats, commuters, shoppers and an increasing number of office workers vie for limited parking spaces each day.

The new car parking regime, operated by National Car Parks on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council, has had the regulations vigorously enforced.

However, residents and businesses say the wardens are lacking in flexibility, issuing tickets throughout the day and night for even one minute's stay in a restricted bay or on yellow lines.

Shopkeeper Steve Percy, 64, who runs System Electronics, in Chatham Place, says in the 40 years he has lived and worked in the Seven Dials area he has never known it to be so difficult.

Since the summer he has surveyed parts of the area and collected feedback from aggrieved vehicle owners.

He said: "This meeting is for the people of central Brighton to get together to fight for a fairer deal for those who live and work here.

"I have had people say they are moving from Seven Dials because they are fed up with parking well away from their homes and being forced to walk a long way at night to get home.

"We want to seek more flexibility over residents' parking bays, the two and four-hour bays, painting of yellow lines and other parking restrictions. I want to set up a proper organisation with a committee that will fight for this area.

"You should not have to park your car well away from your home each night because spaces are taken up by cars from elsewhere.

"There are literally thousands of cars being crammed into 300 residents' bays.

"If we can get this organisation off the ground then we will be able fight back and put forward the views of the residents of Seven Dials and West Hill.

"There must be a fairer allocation of parking."