ePetition - Fair Parking Permit Charges for Tradespeople and Work Vehicles

Across the city, parking permit costs have increasingly been structured to penalise diesel and larger vehicles. While environmental concerns are important and should be addressed thoughtfully, the current approach fails to recognise a fundamental reality: many workers simply have no alternative.

As tradespeople, builders, electricians, plumbers, decorators, and maintenance contractors, we rely on vans to carry tools, equipment, and materials necessary to carry out our work. These are not luxury vehicles or lifestyle choices. They are essential tools of our trade. Without them, we cannot do our jobs.

Unlike many private car owners, tradespeople often do not have the luxury of driveways or private parking spaces. Many of us live in the same controlled parking zones that the council administers, and we are therefore forced to purchase resident permits simply to park near our own homes.

However, because we drive vans, vehicles that are larger and often diesel-powered due to their practical function, we are required to pay enhanced permit rates. This means that the very people who keep homes repaired, businesses running, and infrastructure functioning are effectively being penalised for the tools they require to work.

It is reasonable to discourage unnecessary use of high-emission vehicles in a city environment, particularly for leisure purposes. However, there is a clear difference between a large private SUV or luxury 4x4 used for convenience and a work van used to earn a living. One represents optional travel; the other represents essential work.

The infrastructure required to transition tradespeople to alternative vehicles, such as electric vans, is simply not yet in place at scale. Electric van options remain extremely expensive, charging infrastructure is limited, and many trades require payload capacities and range that current alternatives cannot reliably provide. Until viable, affordable alternatives exist, penalising tradespeople through higher parking charges is both unfair and unrealistic.

Brighton & Hove is a city that relies on its skilled workforce. From fixing boilers and wiring homes to maintaining buildings and supporting local businesses, tradespeople provide services that residents depend upon every day.

We therefore ask Brighton & Hove City Council to introduce a fairer system by:

Charging resident work vans used by tradespeople at the same rate as standard domestic cars.

Recognising work vehicles as essential tools rather than discretionary vehicles.

Ensuring that policies designed to improve air quality do not disproportionately impact working people who have no practical alternatives.

A resident’s car used for leisure or convenience should not be treated more favourably than a vehicle required for someone to earn their livelihood.

Tradespeople help build and maintain this city. The policies that govern our streets should recognise that reality and treat working vehicles with fairness and respect.

This ePetition runs from 04/03/2026 to 22/07/2026.

Nobody has yet signed this ePetition.