I would just add to the story relating to Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company (The Argus, January 8) that the 7 per cent pay rise negotiated does buck recent trends in pay bargaining.

However, it also serves to highlight the spiralling cost of living in Brighton and Hove. Understandably, many bus company employees would have liked to see a bigger pay rise in order to keep pace with the cost of living in our community.

Moreover, the point needs to be emphasised that the company is a very successful business. The employees are crucial to the company's performance and deserve to share in that success. Too often, these days, we seem to neglect the key role played by ordinary working people in the creation of wealth and the delivery of services.

-Gary Smith, GMB Organiser, Brighton