I cannot let chairman of Brighton and Hove City Council planning committee Roy Pennington's critical salvo at my company regarding the Brighton station site pass without refuting his bizarre and unfair allegations (January 13).

He refers to our reluctance to divert existing bus services away from London Road or a completely new route to serve the new Sainsbury's.

That's because we have said from the outset the proposed road layout does not take any account of the needs of public transport in that area and we do not wish to abandon the existing well-used bus stops in London Road.

The developers made it clear they were not interested in providing any finance to subsidise a new route and our view remains that it would not make for a commercial proposition in its own right.

Prior to the committee's decision we suggested to the council that the "Section 106 Agreement" with the developers should include a substantial commitment to providing real-time bus information at bus stops in the supermarket's catchment area along Ditchling Road, Lewes Road and Elm Grove.

I understand all Sainsbury's is being asked to commit is one sign inside the supermarket.

This is hardly a commitment to public transport compared to the extensive new car park.

But when you look at the appalling conditions Sainsbury's expects bus passengers to suffer at its West Hove store, one isn't surprised.

The trolleys are given better shelter and protection in the car park than bus users at the bus stop.

-Roger French, Managing Director, Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company