Business leaders believe the answer to Brighton and Hove's transport problems is staring planners in the face. It's not a tram or monorail, but the good old bus.

City councillors are investigating a rapid transport system to link all the new developments being planned on the seafront.

They include the Marina, Black Rock, the Brighton Centre, the West Pier, the King Alfred and Shoreham Harbour.

Each scheme could attract thousands of customers but it would be impossible for them to all arrive by car.

Tony Mernagh, executive director of the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said tramway and monorail systems would probably not be built in time.

Recent history of tramways was not encouraging with many losing large sums of money.

Mr Mernagh said the new tramway in Croydon had taken 60 per cent of its custom from bus users and only 16 per cent from car drivers. He said: "The solution is to take hold of what we have got - one of the best bus systems in the country."

But he did not rule out other forms of rapid transit systems in the long term.

Simon Fanshawe, who chairs the partnership, told Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce the transport issue had to be solved quickly and buses were the best option.

Impresario David Courtney, who is planning a monorail link between the Marina and the Palace Pier, said £150,000 had already been spent on preparing the project with a further £100,000 to come.

He said: "Whatever else is proposed, whether buses, guided buses or trams, they will take up road space and that is in short supply."

Mr Courtney said developments in monorail technology made it much more feasible and practical.

He is going to see a system in Malaysia shortly.

Monday November 17, 2003