Charges are being increased at another five city centre car parks.

The Argus has learned operator National Car Parks (NCP) is planning a second wave of price rises at its Brighton car parks in Regency Square, Trafalgar Street, High Street, Oxford Court and Carlton Hill.

The news comes just days after The Argus reported prices had been increased to 70p for every 15 minutes at two NCP-operated multi-storey sites in Brighton and to 60p every 15 minutes in a third. The company has now gained permission to raise prices at the five car parks from owners Brighton and Hove City Council and will implement the new charges within the next few weeks.

At four of the car parks the cheapest price will be a flat rate for staying up to two hours.

At Regency Square on the seafront that rate will now be £3, at Carlton Hill, near Grand Parade, it will be £2, at Trafalgar Street in North Laine it will be £1.80 and at High Street in Kemp Town it will be £1.60. At Oxford Court, near London Road, the lowest charge will now be £1.20 for one hour.

The charges have all increased by 20p, except for Regency Square, which has been raised by 10p.

Notices setting out the new rates will be displayed at the car parks from Thursday and they will be installed on Saturday, July 15.

The increases have angered traders who say they have struggled to maintain business as parking has become more restricted and expensive throughout Brighton and Hove.

Florist May Cragg, whose London Road shop is close to the Oxford Court car park, said: "You despair with it all, especially because the council could do something about it. They could help us but they don't, they choose not to."

Trade in London Road has steadily declined during recent years and the Co-op department store, its flagship shop, will be closing this year.

Mrs Cragg accused the council of deliberately allowing the area to decline while it spent funds on "ridiculous schemes" elsewhere.

NCP spokesman James Pritchard said the price changes had been made following an annual review of its facilities and were intended to meet the increased cost of running the car parks.

It implemented its first wave of increases at the car parks in Church Street and North Road in North Laine and at Russell Road two weeks ago.

The company, and the council, could now make an extra £143.80 every hour when all the spaces are full.

Soozie Campbell, city centre manager for Brighton and Hove Business Forum, said the increased charges were a deliberate attempt by the council to put motorists off driving into Brighton.

She said: "There are good intentions behind it and it will probably be good for the city in the long term but in the meanwhile it is making life very difficult for traders and frustrating for drivers."

Mrs Campbell said a decent park and ride scheme needed to be set up to give drivers an alternative to coming into the city centre.

She said: "They seem only too happy to wield the stick but they still aren't offering the carrot."