THE Valley Gardens project has already sparked plenty of debate and quite right too.

Scrapping the pier roundabout is a momentous decision and it has to be proved conclusively that it will work seamlessly.

Business leaders have already expressed concerns and no wonder.

They need to be reassured that any changes will not have an adverse affect on their businesses, especially with trading conditions as difficult as they are at present.

Anyone who drives into the city on a regular basis is fully aware that it can prove to be challenging.

Of course, in an ideal world, it would be great if we could use public transport exclusively but that cannot always be the case for a variety of reasons.

But driving from, say Portslade, to the city centre during rush hour is a nightmare despite systems already being in place to try and ensure smooth traffic flow.

The fact of the matter is that, despite the best efforts of the authorities, our roads are frequently clogged up with cars.

On that basis, any scheme which will help to ease congestion, on the proviso that it can be proven to work, has to be welcomed.

However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and we will only know how successful it will prove to be once it is finally implemented.

Concerns over pollution have rightly been raised and we can all do our bit to help combat that by only using our cars when absolutely necessary.

Brighton and Hoves Buses and other public transport all provide a valuable service.

We all need to try and use those services as often as we possibly can.