Plans for a rapid transport system have been shelved for a year in order to improve the scheme.

Brighton and Hove City Council had intended to make a financial bid to the Government for a bus-based system this month.

The scheme was supposed to offer a viable alternative to cars by taking people to and from major developments planned for the seafront, primarily those between the marina and Shoreham Harbour.

The council said in order to complete Phase 1 - linking Brighton station, Churchill Square, the Brighton Centre, Palace Pier, Black Rock and the marina - in time for the opening of Black Rock, the bid had to be submitted this month.

But the policy committee has decided to delay the bid until July next year.

Environment councillor Gill Mitchell said: "We had hoped to submit our bid this July but it's imperative we give ourselves the time to prepare a strong and successful case.

"By submitting the bid next year, we will be able to include much more information, such as data from the air quality management area strategy.

"We will also have a firmer idea about the size and scale of seafront developments.

"It's also important any rapid transport system is integrated with a future park-and-ride scheme. There is substantial planning work to be completed on the proposals.

"We are committed to getting people moving about the city in the most effective and efficient way possible. The combination of a rapid transport system and park and ride has every chance of making that happen.

"A rapid transport system has to complement the existing bus network and not compete with it."

Green convenor Keith Taylor said having rapid transport connected to park and ride did not form an integrated transport policy.

He warned rapid transport should not be made too expensive for people to use.

The system would be bus-based but the council stressed this would not rule out plans for the Brighton Bullet, a privately-financed £10 million monorail system.

This would be the first public transport system of its kind in the UK and could be up and running within two years.

It would connect the marina to the Palace Pier, calling at several stops on the way.

The Bullet would put the city on a par with places such as Moscow, Sydney, Hawaii, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Tokyo, which all have monorail public transport services.