I use city buses much more than I did a year ago and I like the service which along the main east-west city axis is frequent, quite fast and cheap.

The company seems to be managed well and with quite a bit of flair. If this is Roger French's doing, he deserves congratulations and he is right to defend buses against criticism (Letters, August 2).

But the city's buses can't solve the problems for traders, of their continuing persecution by Brighton and Hove City Council.

They are not asking to clog up the bus lanes, they are simply asking to be allowed to work.

Nor can the buses solve the problems of others whose work takes them around, out of or into the city on journeys which can only sensibly be made by car.

So far, the council has acted like the most narrow-minded residents' association, preoccupied only with clearing space (much of it unused) for residents.

At the same time, it has disregarded the knock-on effects on those who need to come into or move around the city.

The result has been to force a choice upon the disadvantaged groups: Either risk penalty notices or else display a home-made disabled badge or other permit.

We know people chose the first option more than 120,000 times in the first year of the council's control of parking.

How many people I wonder have chosen the second?

-Trevor Pateman, Dolphin Court, Hove