As a former Fleet Street editor straight out of the old school, Brian Hitchen is used to venting his wrath over a range of heavyweight national and international issues.

But now, the ex-Daily Star editor has turned his attention to problems on his own doorstep in Palmeira Square, Hove.

He is incensed by proposals to remove the one-way system around the historic Floral Clock, which has already caused controversy among local traders and other residents.

In colourful language, typical of the forthright tabloid he once edited, Mr Hitchen accused traffic planners of learning their trade "at the Mad Hatter's tea party".

He said: "If the planners are being paid to bring Brighton to a halt then they should be getting a bonus by now."

Mr Hitchen, who has lived in Hove for more than 30 years, feels that the mistakes already made in Brighton, are slowly creeping west.

He added: "Everyone you talk to in Brighton says that the situation is bloody awful. You don't have to be a pathologist to know if you want to make the flow of blood easier then you widen the arteries - you don't clog them up.

"The same applies to traffic and in Brighton it just does not flow at all. Look at the nightmare in front of the station: People used to drive up there and drop people off without parking really easily.

"Now it is an absolute mess, with traffic blocked all the way down to Seven Dials. It's barmy."

The proposed scheme, which has been drawn up by Birmingham-based consultants Owen William, would turn part of Church Road into a bus lane.

Mr Hitchen believes the city council will push on with the plans regardless of public opinion.

But a spokeswoman for the planning department said: "We don't just railroad these things through.

"We will be taking everyone's view into consideration before it is reported to the environment committee. We are a long way from implementing this scheme and it is not true to say we will just do it anyway."