A controversial planter will be removed from Rottingdean High Street so tests can establish whether it improves the air quality or adds to pollution.

Debate has raged about the planter ever since it was put in place in October 2019, with supporters saying it had helped calm the traffic.

It was part of a wider project by Rottingdean Parish Council and Brighton and Hove City Council.

At the same time, a hatched yellow box was painted by Dene’s Mews and traffic was barred from turning right out of West Street by the High Street and A259 traffic lights.

High Street has been an air quality management area since 2013 because nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions exceeded legal limits.

Opponents believe the planter has done little or nothing to improve pollution and may even have made it worse. A petition calling for it to be removed attracted 694 signatures.

A proposal to remove it for four weeks is due to be decided in the coming week by a Brighton and Hove City Council committee.

A report to the transport and sustainability committee said: “One ward councillor invited feedback from residents in late 2022 on the proposal to remove the planter.

“There were approximately 30 responses, mostly from people who wanted the planter retained because it made them feel safer as slower traffic made it easier to cross.

“Messages of support included some students from St Margaret’s Church of England Primary School.

“Air quality was the main theme in the responses, with people saying they had noticed the improvement.

“By contrast, it was noted that social media messages were overwhelmingly in favour of removing the planter but it was not clear how many of the people posting these messages actually lived in Rottingdean.”

The report said temporary removal of the planter/chicane and monitoring of traffic flows before and after will allow an assessment of its air quality impact for the first time.

Officers will be able to make a decision "on the basis of air quality benefits rather than traffic management considerations".

While air quality in the road has improved over several years, the trend has matched national decreases in harmful emissions, linked to the lower proportion of diesel vehicles in use.

The rate of improvement in air quality has been slower since the planter was put in place even despite the drop in traffic during Covid lockdowns.

Southbound traffic has become stop-start, with frequent queues and congestion.

The report said: “Officers acknowledge the planter may cause revving as vehicles accelerate to get around it when there is a gap in northbound traffic.

“NO2 results from the nearest monitor have not improved significantly since 2020.

“Based on data currently available, it is not possible to say that the planter has had a positive impact.

“There is no base-line or post-installation data because traffic diverting along Steyning Road to avoid the lower High Street has not been monitored.

“There are counters on Chailey Avenue but these will not count diverting traffic using Newlands Avenue to access the A259 avoiding the lower High Street.

“This means it is not possible to measure the contribution the planter has made though diversions.”

Officials are understood to have started a four-week traffic count in Steyning Road and, if councillors agree to the removal of the planter, another four-week traffic count would take place in September.

Councillors are being asked to the allow officers “to decide whether the planter will be reinstated based on air quality and traffic counter results”.

The transport committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 4pm on Thursday.