Brighton's Madeira Drive is supposed to be a fun-oriented family place.

There are always visitors, some of whom are foreign and naturally look the wrong way for traffic.

They do not expect boy-racers in cars and on motorbikes to be burning rubber, doing wheelies and speeding, often at 60-70mph. Fatalities and serious injuries are almost inevitable.

Brighton and Hove City Council is "looking into" a more permanent solution and is considering gates at either end, though it is hard to see what difference they will make because hundreds of coaches drop-off and pick-up passengers there.

The city owns Madeira Drive so it is the council's responsibility. A simple and instant answer to the problems would be a series of chicanes, staggered along the road, allowing only single-lane passing.

This would effectively slow down the traffic. They are easily removed by a forklift or JCB in two minutes and can be placed on the pavements to clear the road for special events.

Probably only four annual events would need their total removal. Most others would need just a proportion to be rearranged.

They could also be used to create temporary VIP areas and compounds. They need not be black - they could be multi-coloured, even with sponsors' logos.

With multi-coloured flowers too, they would also be very attractive and brighten up Madeira Drive.

-Gordon McPhee, Bennett Road, Kemp Town