Traders have vowed to fight plans to introduce permit parking in Horsham town centre.

West Sussex County Council wants to set up the scheme to stop workers clogging up residential streets.

The plans include a park and ride system which will operate six days a week from 6am to 11pm.

A shuttle bus service will operate to and from a car park near the Hop Oast roundabout on the outskirts of town.

Workers will have to pay £3.50 a day to park in the town centre.

New parking zones will be set up around the town centre and residents will pay £1 a day to park outside their homes.

Traders say the scheme will cause chaos and deter potential customers, sending them to other towns instead.

Estate agent Michael James said: "It is crazy. If drivers are confronted with a messy park and ride system then they are going to wonder whether it is worth bothering with the town.

"Also, a lot of businesses need access to their cars throughout the day but now they are going to have to either use the new system or fork out a lot of money for a permit.

"A lot of the smaller businesses may not be able to afford this and they could end up going under, which is hardly going to boost the town's economy. We are not happy about this. "

A council spokesman said: "We have had a public exhibition on the scheme and the response has been very mixed.

"We will be assessing people's views and comments during the next few months and taking them on board.

"A revised scheme is likely to go back out to public consultation in the spring."