With reference to Councillor Simon Williams' suggestion that we abandon our cars for public transport (Letters, September 8) does he live on Earth?

Does he really think a shift worker at Gatwick airport who lives in Brighton can use public transport to get to and from work?

Trains may run every half hour from Brighton station. The problem is getting to the station late at night or early in the morning.

My partner used to have to do just that. If she finished her evening shift at 11.30pm the first train did not arrive at Gatwick to take her home until 12.15am.

Her journey often took three hours, half an hour by car. The last time I used that same late night train myself I found it full of drunks, drug addicts and a few normal humans.

The toilets, all of them, were swamped with urine, vomit, and excrement.

Having seen it first hand for myself, does Coun Williams think I would ever again let my partner travel by herself on any night train?

As for using taxis, does he really think that Gatwick shift workers are paid so much that they can pay £10 per day taxi fare on top of the train fare?

As for the morning shift, my partner had to be given permission to arrive half an hour late because public transport could not get her to work on time.

True, there is an early bus from Pool Valley (or used to be) that takes you to Gatwick.

The problem still remains in getting to Pool Valley.

I suggest it is time for all Green Party members to realise they will never make any breakthrough until they realise there is a big difference in being environmentally friendly and accepting realities.

Public transport is not an acceptable alternative to the car and never will be until it is once again run for the benefit of the community, as opposed to private profit.

That means early and late buses, free travel for pensioners and children and lower fares for the rest of us.

-Stuart Bower, Upper Beeding