Business leaders and campaigners have called for controversial measures to solve traffic problems.

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, said Brighton and Hove City Council and the Government were not being bold or radical enough on transport.

He was among those at a meeting of Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce who called on the council to take stronger action to improve transport in the city.

Lanes traders'

spokesman Geoff Draper said something had to be done to reduce congestion for motorists coming into the city at weekends while hoteliers' president Roger Marlowe said action was needed to help guests park when they came to stay in the city by car.

Chamber president Chris Shanks said public transport had to be really good to tempt people out of their comfortable cars.

The calls came as transport councillor Simon Battle revived the idea of a park-and-ride site north of the Brighton bypass.

He said the existing site at Withdean was far too small and in the wrong place and he would favour a park-and-ride site at Waterhall Valley as a longterm aim.

Last year, the council was all set to earmark a site near the A23 junction with the A27 just north of the Brighton bypass but, at a stormy council meeting, rebel Labour councillors sided with the opposition to declare no sites should be available north of the road.

That will be the council's official position at a public inquiry into the draft Local Plan, which starts later this month Environment councillor Chris Morley confirmed this, saying: "The administration's position is quite clear. There is to be no park-and-ride north of the bypass."

Answering the criticism from Mr French, he said:

"We think we have been bold and radical.

"Parking enforcement has made a big difference and we are to enforce regulations in bus lanes which will be very helpful for the bus company."