I was surprised to read (December 3, 10, 15) Brighton and Hove Council is proposing to introduce a bus lane into the already constricted A23 approach to Brighton.

It is difficult enough now for the 8 million visitors to Brighton each year to get into our city. Adding these artificial anti-car proposals seems extraordinary.

Sometimes it takes longer to get into Brighton than it does to arrive at the outskirts from London.

All the hoteliers in the town suffer first hand the problems our guests have getting in.

They arrive irritated and tired and we know this deters them from returning as well as earning Brighton a poor reputation.

These guests, be they tourists, conference delegates or business people, are the economic foundation of Brighton's wealth.

Many thousands of jobs in Brighton and Hove rely on the tourist industry. We should be posting welcome signs, not road narrow signs.

When we have a park and ride scheme we can examine how buses bringing everyone in should receive priority.

In the meantime, we must ask the council's transport department to improve access, not favour one group at the expense of the others.

-Roger Marlow, Chairman, Brighton and Hove Hotels Association