I SEE some café owners are calling for buses to be banned from St James’s Street.

I believe this would be counter-productive to most traders in the street.

The combination of being the main bus interchange for people travelling to Kemp Town, the marina, the Royal Sussex County Hospital and people visiting Morrisons, draws many tens of thousands of people into the street who support many shops along the road.

There is the suggestion that buses would use the seafront instead, but this is not guaranteed.

>> SEE ALSO: Traders call for ban on cars in busy city street

When closing St James’s Street was previously mooted, the bus company said it would divert buses up Edward Street (as does the service 1A).

Given routes serve some of the most deprived areas in the city and I am surprised Labour MP Lloyd-Russell Moyle is supporting such a move, as those not diverting their shop to Tesco in Hove would have to cross a busy duel carriageway to reach the bus stop from Morrisons and St James’s Street.

Also it could put current Queen’s Park bus services at risk.

The original idea for the street was to ban most vehicles (excepting buses, taxi and delivery vehicles) at the western end.

If this had been implemented, this would have greatly reduced unwanted traffic using the street, making it more attractive.

It was also envisaged the road would be similar to Bond Street, which works well as a semi- pedestrianised route.

But this vision was never fully realised.

It is funny how the possibility of pedestrianising St James’s Street has been kept quiet until the design for Valley Gardens 3 is near complete.

With many buses turning right into Edward Street, the planned removal of the separate right-turn lane means buses will often block the outside lane of A23 northbound, causing even more traffic delays (including to buses) and the eastbound Edward Street stop is very bus unfriendly.

Lastly, I see that all A23 traffic is now being moved to the east side of the Valley Gardens.

Perhaps we will see how the council will limit unwanted traffic from the west side of the valley, now the northbound bus lanes are being removed.

It is a process surrounded in secrecy.

While it is good the council has missed the August traffic peak, we may not see how restrictive the new Grand Parade/Marlborough Place junction will be unless the Church Street right turn is reopened and the pedestrian crossing across the mouth of Marlborough Place is activated.

I still think the article on the new Aquarium traffic signals should have mentioned it is only designed to cope with quiet mid-week traffic at a quieter time of year.

Peter Elvidge,

Address supplied