THE Green Party have control of the city council without democratic mandate as our citizens voted for a Labour majority, now a minority because of internal party problems.

I don't agree, therefore, that the current administration has the right to steamroller over our views and permanently change our city.

I live in one of the "school streets" which the council declares an unalloyed success.

That's because only the view of the school and some parents have been regarded. We locals were not consulted until now, when work has already started.

The scheme, involving permanent closure of our street at one end and temporary blockage at the other, is supposed to improve air quality, safety and Covid distancing.

Air quality in our street is very good, the only pollution being from large council waste lorries, especially the huge one servicing the school, which belches fumes and noise at 5am - all gone by school time.

During the day there is little through traffic in our street. This scheme will increase local pollution as these vehicles will have to turn at the end of the street (if they can) or reverse uphill to get out.

I've lived here for about 20 years and, to my knowledge, there's never been a safety issue or a child injured.

The parents have, historically, parked here and dropped their kids off at the school gates.

This is already illegal as we have pay-parking, but no traffic warden was ever seen.

If this is a danger then employ a lollipop lady and have a traffic warden present at these times. But no, we are to be permanently denied access at one end of the street and in term time expected to show proof of residence to a warden at the other at school times.

Finally, Covid distancing. This became highly dangerous to our residents during the height of the pandemic as parents and children treated the whole street as another playground - no masks, minimal social distancing.

None of the wardens wear masks either. There were regularly as many as a hundred people milling around the street at drop off and pick-up times. We locals, many elderly and at risk, shut our windows.

So what's the point? Children can walk to school now. The pavement is adequate on both sides and there's nothing to stop them, plus parents, lining up with safe distancing as they do at Stanford School.

Liz Robinson (Dr)

Queen's Park Rise

Brighton