Simon Swan (Letters, May 28) has views similar to other readers' about the ever-expanding Parking zones in Brighton.

Expansion is obviously self-created by uncontrolled areas having to ask for controlled parking due to the overspill of cars from nearby residents controlled areas.

A solicitor living in Eastbourne who is most concerned about the possibility of controlled parking zones spreading to his town wrote to us recently.

He said the introduction of controlled parking to areas that have not previously had any form of control may contravene The Human Rights Act 1998.

This act incorporates the European Convention of Human Rights: Article 1 of Part 2 of The First Protocol (now in Schedule 1 of the 1998 Act) and deals with the protection of property.

It states: "Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions. No one shall be deprived of his possession except in the public interest and subject to the conditions proved by the law and by the general principles of international law.

"The preceding provisions shall not, however, in any way impair the right of a State to enforce laws as it deems necessary to control the use of property in accordance with the general interest or to secure the payment of taxes or other contributions or penalties".

The solicitor further suggests that when a person (or company) buys a property, he has certain implied rights, including the right for him, his customers and visitors to be able to park lawfully somewhere near the property.

This is part of the enjoyment of the property. If that right is taken away or severely restricted by high parking charges and reduction of parking spaces, surely the "peaceful enjoyment of his possessions" has been taken away?

He also feels that in such cases the courts would say the public body that introduced those restrictions would be ordered to pay compensation for the losses in value that have occurred and for the inconvenience.

If property is purchased after the restrictions have been introduced such a claim may not be valid.

-SJ Percy, People's Parking Protest, Chatham Place, Brighton