WE NEED to be clear that nobody has “the right” to park their car on the pavement: pavements are for pedestrians, not cars (Letters, October 1).

The problem is that, in many areas such as Elm Grove, there is not enough space on the street to accommodate all the drivers who want to park there. This does not mean that rather than finding somewhere more suitable to park, and continuing their journey on foot, drivers should simply drive up onto the pavement and park there.

Cars that block pavements make it difficult, and potentially dangerous, for pedestrians and particularly people with mobility problems or with children in pushchairs.

Cars on pavements also cause damage which costs money to repair (and makes walking more hazardous).

Health and environment experts say it’s important to reduce car use by enabling and encouraging more people to walk as part of their daily routine.

This means we need not just connected street networks and 20mph speed limits, but uncluttered pavements.

It’s clearly essential that everybody works together to try to ensure a practical solution is found to this situation, whether in Elm Grove or anywhere else in Brighton and Hove. It’s equally clear the current situation cannot continue.

Stephen Young, Brighton and Hove Living Streets