Parents who want a street in the Lanes to be pedestrianised have been told the council cannot afford it.

Alan McCarthy, the council's environment director, said the authority did not have the cash available at present to pedestrianise Boyces Street.

More than 300 people signed a petition for Brighton and Hove Council to pedestrianise the street after fears about their children's safety when walking to Middle Street School.

Local Labour councillor John Warmington said: "Children walk to school along Boyces Street which is very narrow.

"The school has switched its main pedestrian entrance from Middle Street to Boyces Street.

"There is a bit of conflict. Parents with buggies sometimes push them in the road and this can cause problems if cars are driven recklessly."

He appreciated that full pedestrianisation might not be possible because of access problems, but said he supported measures to improve safety for parents and children.

Mr McCarthy said that pedestrianisation would be difficult because access would be denied to a pub on the street.

He said: "If the road is closed it would mean service vehicles would have to reverse part way up the street or into Middle Street and West Street which is not an ideal arrangement."

There were only eight roads providing access to the Lanes as a whole which presented difficulties, especially for the emergency services.

But the council may instead look at giving pedestrians priority in the narrow one-way street where the pavements almost disappear at the western end.

He added that in the future the street could also be included in the council's Safe Routes to School programme.