I HAVE recently read the letter from Clr Susan Loudon, ‘20mph saves lives’.

Why is it that councillors and MPs want to force their ideas on the general public?

I am a 69-year-old man and ever since I can remember the speed limit in built-up areas has been 30mph. The idea of a car is to get from one point to another at a safe speed. It does not need someone like Susan Loudon to give us all the technical details of how long it takes for a car to stop. Why do people always pass the blame on to someone else?

Roads are built for cars. There is no need to reduce the speed limit. Why are councils and the Government not running road safety courses for children and in a lot of cases parents who these days do not control children and allow them to run into roads?

School crossing patrols seem to be disappearing and this is putting children at risk.

Another problem putting motorists at risk is children and teenagers texting on mobile phones completely oblivious as to what is going on around them. In the past two weeks I have on four different occasions had people walk into the road in front of my car while texting.

On all occasions I have had to slam on my brakes and sound my horn. All these people have looked at me as if I shouldn’t be there. On one occasion I saw a teenager walking down the middle of a main road while texting and there were cars passing on either side of him.

Also I regularly see cyclists going through red traffic lights and also riding on the pavement to get round them.

So don’t blame the motorist for most accidents. The pedestrians need educating in road safety and councils should be making safe play areas for children so that they do not need to be on the streets.

Also please remember car drivers pay road tax to use roads.

MOTORIST AND COUNCIL TAX PAYER