MADEIRA Drive will remain closed until at least the end of the summer.

An attempt to reopen the seafront road one way was turned down by Labour and Green councillors at a Brighton and Hove City Council meeting last night.

The Green leader of the council Phelim MacCafferty said the continued closure is “what the city needs at this current time”.

The road was shut to cars in April and is currently closed to traffic between the Aquarium roundabout and Concorde 2.

The Conservative group on the council proposed reopening the road one way to address a range of issues about the closure.

This was turned down by both Green and Labour councillors.

A decision on the road’s future is expected at the next environment, transport and sustainability committee on September 29.

Councillor Lee Wares, proposing the motion, said: “This council at warp speed has implemented massive changes to Madeira

Drive and the city generally and in my opinion not all good.

“However, what it demonstrates is that if the council wants to, it can act fast.

“That speed is generally linked to the desire to want to do something.

“So, our amendment will demonstrate to the city this chamber has the will and desire to act fast.

“Councillors today can instruct officers to convene an urgency sub-committee for the August 21.

“Officers can easily meet this deadline with a report because if they have been doing their job right, they will have the data and information.

“I would be very surprised if what all we need to know to decide to keep Madeira Drive open or closed

isn’t known when officers are already designing the removal of parking on Marine Parade and the extension of the cycle lanes from the Aquarium roundabout eastwards.

“Officers have already moved on, having thrown the problem ball of Madeira Drive over their shoulder.”

Two opposing petitions about the future of Madeira Drive were debated by councillors.

One petition called to keep Madeira Drive closed to traffic.

Another called for the road to reopen for all users.