A review of the city's Parking regime could lead to a relaxation of the rules.

Brighton and Hove city councillors are scrutinising how parking tickets are issued.

They are also rethinking the council's contract with the firm that operates parking attendants in the city.

Ken Bodfish, leader of the council and of the Labour group, said the contract would be examined to see if attendants should wait longer before issuing a ticket.

He said the city council was also considering whether the hours of enforcement should be reduced so there was more freedom to park in the early morning or evening.

He revealed the proposed changes yesterday, a day after The Argus reported how two former parking attendants claimed they were pressured into meeting targets.

The attendants claimed tickets were issued for trivial offences to meet quotas.

Operator NCP denied the allegations, saying attendants were not set any targets and there was no pressure on employees.

But as the agreement with the firm is up for review, the city council is considering changes to the rules which govern the operator and how it issues tickets.

The council has faced mounting protests about what many people complain is an overzealous parking regime.

Ted Kemble, a Conservative councillor for the Wish ward, called for a review of the parking system in response to the former parking attendants' allegations.

Coun Kemble asked fellow councillors and Alan McCarthy, the council's chief executive, to set up a full inquiry into the way NCP implements the parking contract.

He said: "I have on a number of occasions observed parking attendants using different criteria before issuing tickets.

"A full inquiry needs to be held into NCP's actions if they are to be reconsidered when the new contract is awarded."

Coun Paul Elgood, environment spokesman and leader of the Liberal Democrats, thought council staff should take over responsibility for parking enforcement.

He said: "We have had concerns about over-zealous parking attendants.

"We feel there has been a deficit in the way this contract is delivered."

Coun Bodfish said: "In general terms it has been very successful. Parking attendants are never the most popular people. There will always be complaints.

"Perhaps it needs more flexibility about the time before giving a ticket and the hours parking enforcement is undertaken."

Coun Garry Peltzer-Dunn, Conservative group leader, said "We want to make sure everybody is treated fairly and the way to do that is to have a fair system in place."

Steve Percy, chairman of the Brighton-based People's Parking Protest, said: "The council should take parking enforcement in-house. It should be able to come up with a scheme which is not only about making money."