Anyone at the public meeting held by Shoreham Port Authority at Southwick Community Centre on July 4 will probably agree it was useful.

However, the topic which caused most discussion was parking and increased traffic from the proposed development on the north arm of the harbour.

The Port Authority hopes to create 1,000 new jobs by building new offices but only intends to provide 345 parking spaces for employees, marina berth holders, visitors and some of the unfortunate sailors who can no longer use Ropetackle.

The Port Authority says 345 spaces will be enough, since most people will be walking, cycling or using public transport.

But the audience repeatedly challenged this and presented evidence that, even now, parking was seriously inadequate.

Finally, an audience member suggested the Port Authority put its money where its mouth is and include a clause in the new offices' leases that at least 50 per cent of employees would not be travel to work by car. Unsurprisingly, it seemed unwilling.

Apparently, Adur District and West Sussex County Councils are still considering the port's planning application.

They should insist on just such a restriction as part of the "green travel plan" which has to be included in the agreement.

Of course, part of the problem lies with the Government, which, in the past two years, has effectively called for less parking places by changing its guidelines to ask for a maximum, rather than a minimum, number of parking places.

Anyone concerned could write to their MP, telling them to go "greener" by encouraging greener cars and better public transport rather than reducing parking.

The Port Authority must also include a slipway in its plans. A boat hoist is fine but will, no doubt, be expensive to use and not as convenient for visitors with small boats on trailers who currently enjoy access to the small slipway at Lady Bee.

-Mike Wooldridge, Henfield