I haven't read Councillor Paul Elgood's article but what Mike Weatherley is promoting would only increase congestion (Letters, July 5).

Mr Weatherley suggests several ways of reducing congestion:

1) Motorists using bus lanes in the evening. Would this solve any congestion? No, congestion is caused when people drive into Brighton in the morning to get to work and when "tourists" drive in at the weekend. So that is not a solution.

2) An underground car park. He says the congestion and lack of parking in Brighton and Hove is costing businesses dear. That may be so but building a car park is not the solution. It will create parking space but, as you can see every weekend in parking areas where there is space, there is no flow and this causes congestion. An underground car park would create more congestion and pollution, not less.

3) Park and ride. Although this seems to be the solution, research has shown park and ride actually increases pollution - not in Brighton itself but in surrounding areas.

People will drive from wherever, pollute the area around Brighton, park and go into town by bus. If we have to have park and ride as a best alternative, why not build it around Gatwick or Burgess Hill instead of in the green belt around Brighton?

4) A fair and even-handed fines process. People parking all over the place will probably increase congestion, especially if there is no authority to control it.

There should either be a stick (fine) or a carrot to change parking behaviour.

He says we should cycle more but, with children and heavy shopping bags, this is not always possible.

People bringing children to school by car contribute to making roads unsafe for their own children, congestion around schools and the rapidly rising obesity rates that many experts believe could be a public health disaster in the making.

Greater exercise through walking and cycling would help to avoid this. A realistic alternative is the so-called "walking-bus" some schools have adopted wherein a big group of school children walks to school accompanied by parents or teachers.

A high quality cycle-friendly road network with more cycle lanes could stimulate cycling. For people who drive into Brighton, there are alternatives in the middle of the city - a train station and bus station. No time is wasted looking for parking space. "Tourists/shoppers" can start spending money straight away.

Mike Weatherley argues Brighton and Hove is possibly losing millions of pounds because of the lack of parking. I very much doubt this. Attractive, high quality streets and open spaces with less traffic would not only improve our quality of life but also our health.

And, most of all, it would encourage more visitors to return here or stay longer because there is less traffic and pollution.

Some businesses even want pedestrianised areas because it makes shops more accessible and will increase their sales potential.

If people avoid Brighton because of lack of parking, there will also be people who will come to Brighton because of attractive pedestrianised area, open spaces and a good public transport system.

Robert Westerwijk

Compton Road,

-Brighton