Brighton: Judicial review bid launched over cashless parking

Brighton's cash free payment system for parking is being challenged in court

A former police officer is seeking to challenge a council removing all its on-street parking meters in the courts.

Stuart Bower said introducing cashless parking in Brighton discriminates against the elderly and disabled.

His application for a judicial review will be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice later.

Brighton & Hove City Council said it was considering introducing a physical permit for residents and visitors without access to digital payment.

The authority removed all its on-street parking meters in June 2023, saying only 2% of payments were made in cash, and it would cost thousands of pounds to upgrade the existing machines.

Drivers are now encouraged to pay using an app on a smart phone.

They can also pay by card over the telephone or walk to one of 150 PayPoint shops around the city to pay by cash.

Mr Bower, who lives just outside the city in Shoreham-by-Sea, and no longer drives, said: "It's absolute blatant discrimination.

"Modern technology is like a ball rolling downhill, it's getting faster and faster.

"A whole generation of us are being left way behind with technology and this needs to be taken into account when councils are embracing technology.

"They still need to make allowances for a whole generation of us that haven't got a clue how to use it."

• Parking by app 'digitally excludes older drivers'

• Elderly face cash access strife, says Payments Council

• Elderly face cash access strife

Mr Bower hopes his campaign could have an effect on other authorities and businesses.

He said: "Can it be lawful to deny people goods, facilities or services if they don't have access to the internet or no access to a mobile phone?"

In a statement Brighton & Hove City Council said it was already in the process of reviewing its parking policies to simplify them and establish a fairer, more equitable parking system for both residents and visitors.

A spokesman said: "One of many areas we're looking into is whether it would be possible to introduce a physical permit option for residents and visitors without or with limited access to digital payments options."

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].