I am writing to echo the concerns expressed by Fiona Wilding in yesterday's Argus (Letters, February 26).

In the past few weeks, Brighton and Hove Council has seen fit to have double yellow lines painted at the junctions of the short streets between Ditchling Rise and Clyde Road, an area where finding a Parking space is notoriously difficult.

The action of the council has been extrimely detrimental for the residents, as it deprives us of more than 20 potential parking spaces.

When I asked the council about this, I was told the reason for it was that Cityclean found it hard to collect the rubbish.

The long-term solution of this problem would be, of course, to create residents' parking permits, as in other areas. But the procedure is longwinded and although (I am told) we are top of the list, the ballot is only scheduled for the spring and the permits - if the decision is carried - will not be available for many months.

Apparently, as the double yellow lines "do not affect everybody", they can be painted without consultation in the space of a few days.

The reality is, it seems to me, the double yellow lines affect everyone who lives in the area and owns a car, except the lucky few who have a private driveway or a garage, as parking is scarce and the area is popular with people coming from out of town.

At the same time as these lines were being painted, the police, acting totally independently from the council (as I was told and wondered why) are enforcing a crackdown on double parking.

This is, indeed, very good news, as double parking is the real hazard by causing obstruction to the emergency services.

As a resident, I find the action of the police entirely appropriate and the action of the council entirely wrong. All it does is create revenue through traffic wardens who are out in force - 8am Sunday morning as the lines were completed. At the same time, it victimises residents and does not provide a sustainable solution. Insult to injury?

When I suggested to the council that, as the issue was Cityclean operators' access to the streets, it would be logical to allow parking at the junctions - for the time being, until permits come into force - except on the day of refuse collection, I was told the decision had been taken and that was that.

Parking at these small junctions is not sightly or desirable and is a nuisance for pedestrians - but it is not as dangerous as double parking and could be tolerated for the time being. What I fear will happen, and I have already noticed happening, is that people will avoid parking on the double lines, as traffic wardens patrol the area, but some unscrupulous drivers will feel no compunction in double parking, as the police, being very busy, will not always be ready to intervene.

So the residents are in an even worse position, with less parking space and the hazards of double parking, alas, still present.

Looks like the only party happy with this is the council - and its newly-devised revenue stream.

-Massimo Redaelli, Nick Brown, Brighton