Brighton and Hove are two towns forced into a contrived city, with the deal finalised on February 15 with the granting of the Letters Patent.

The same week saw our regional assembly, SEERA, approve the controversial Hastings bypass.

Before becoming a city, Brighton and Hove were two towns which were enclosed by a bypass.

The new road would create prosperity, so it was said. Yet some years on the towns were supposedly so stricken that city status was deemed the only remedy.

Along the coast, we have Hastings and Bexhill, two towns which will be enclosed by a bypass, in need of prosperity. A familiar ring?

It seems there is a South Coast conspiracy to destroy our seaside resorts and turn them into centres of business expansion. Infill developments threaten Brighton and Hove, as they will Hastings and Bexhill.

When Brighton and Hove split from East Sussex in 1996, I thought the lumbering concept of libertarian roadbuilding had been abandoned.

We were supposedly progressive boroughs, with an Agenda 21 plan and support for traffic reduction. So many ideals have wilted.

I was appalled to see our SEERA representative, Councillor Don Turner, vote in favour of the Hastings bypass.

Why create Brighton City when it competes for business with Hastings, where jobs are needed more? The contrived city's relaunch of Agenda 21 is a sick joke.

-Peter Poole, BASH! Brighton (And Still Hove!) Against City Status