Risk from inattention not speed

LETTER - In your letters page of May 30, Linda Broadbent of Market Drayton referred to the sad loss of life on the Ellesmere to Whittington road recently and called for a 50mph speed limit and a speed camera to be put in place.

Sadly, this is a typical knee-jerk reaction resulting from the Government's discredited "speed kills" policy that diverts focus from the real causes of accidents.

Collisions on our roads occur for many reasons, exceeding an antiquated A-road speed limit is now known to be a factor in a very small proportion.

The cause of this tragic collision has yet to be published and yet here is a call for a reduced speed limit and a camera.

Two vehicles approaching each other at a speed of 50mph have a closing speed of 100mph.

Imagine the dangers of two vehicles closing at 100mph approaching a speed camera with both drivers studying the needle wavering around the magical 50, rather than maintaining good observation and lane control.

Inappropriate speed limits enforced by a camera also result in unexpected and dangerous hard braking; what's the betting that the bent camera at Shotatton crossroads was put out of commission by a driver losing control whilst braking heavily?

Speed cameras are an excuse for a road safety policy because they are self-funding.

Hard-hitting, informative, educational television advertising at peak times costs money, but unlike speed cameras they would save lives.

KW Evans, Shrewsbury