Mr Birch must be congratulated for cramming so many groundless clichs into a single letter (Letters, March 9).

Brighton and Hove City Council is not responsible for "strangling" the life out of the town centre nor for Parking policies which are prompting a "mass closure" of independent shops.

North Laine is the part of Brighton I love most and it is better than ever. The new shops and restaurants in Jubilee Street and the New Road improvements are concrete examples of how the council has invested in the future of the area.

Its transport policies, of which parking is just one part, must balance the needs of private motorists with those of other road users.

Parking controls help traffic flow freely and discourage illegal and dangerous parking. That is just pragmatic and sensible local governance.

-Councillor Simon Battle, Goldsmid Ward Councillor, Hove