A community stadium at Falmer would be ideal for park-and-ride schemes an inquiry into the proposed stadium has been told.

Most football fans, however, would find it difficult to walk there, according to civil engineering expert Andreas Markides who gave evidence on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council on Friday.

Mr Markides said it was estimated there would be 50 events a year at the stadium of which 30 would be football matches involving Brighton and Hove Albion.

Most fans would arrive by bus, coach and train, said Mr Markides, as getting to the stadium by car would be discouraged because of the physical limitations of the site.

In term of public transport access, he said Falmer was better than the Albion's current home at Withdean.

The proposed stadium would be next to a rail station and there was more space for park-and-ride schemes.

Most of the traffic going to Falmer could be be accommodated on the Brighton bypass, reducing the impact on Brighton roads.

Much of the car parking on match days and other events could be accommodated within the existing facilities of Brighton and Sussex Universities.

But fans would find it difficult to walk to the stadium from most parts of the city centre.

Mr Markides said Falmer was the best of all the alternative sites, which had been considered, including Waterhall, north of Patcham, Toads Hall Valley, Hove, and Shoreham Harbour, because of its good public transport links.

The inquiry continues.