Business, community and public service leaders have sent a united message backing a new park-and-ride site for Brighton and Hove.

They have told the city council they want a new site to be provided as soon as possible to relieve congestion.

The recommendation came unanimously from a meeting of the Brighton and Hove Community Partnership at the Sussex Arts Club in Ship Street during a special debate.

The meeting did not recommend a site for park-and-ride but the only feasible places are likely to be Waterhall or Braypool, just north of the junction of the A23 and the Brighton bypass.

But both sites have been ruled out by the city council because of a decision there should be no park-and-ride north of the bypass.

Conservation groups are against using sites which could be included in the new South Downs National Park.

Transport councillor Simon Battle said: "The city council's policy is to support park-and-ride."

The council would wait for the findings and recommendations of the inspector who held a public inquiry into the proposed local plan.

Brighton currently has one park-and-ride site at Withdean which is well used but small and poorly sited.

Monday December 08, 2003