Puzzled at 20mph (From York Press)

Puzzled at 20mph

12:11pm Friday 21st September 2012 in Letters By Readers' letters

HAVING followed the debate over the proposed blanket 20mph speed restriction in York, I must admit to being a little puzzled.

In Selby , we have been blessed with a 20mph limit through the town centre. For some inexplicable reason, the planners also saw fit to install speed tables.

This precludes drivers from getting anywhere near the 20mph limit and slow-moving traffic only serves to add to the level of exhaust fumes circulating, vehicle engines running at high revolutions at lower speeds.

No one in this debate seems to have touched on the reason for the need for such slow speeds.

Throughout the North Yorkshire area how often do you encounter a police traffic car; once a week? Once a month? The police nationwide show scant regard for the upholding of motoring laws. These so-called speeding blitz operations usually end with the police stating how they were surprised by the number of speeding motorists caught.

Had the police been more diligent we would not now be suffering from the right-footed driver syndrome.

It has become the norm for drivers to exceed speed limits as they know there is little or no chance of being caught. Adequate traffic policing would see no need for 20mph limits.

David Rhodes, The Shrubberies, Cliffe.

•I HAVE been following the articles on the introduction of 20mph zones.

I am neither for them or against them, but my main concern is will all the dithering motorists who drive at 20mph in a 30mph area then slow down to 10mph in the 20mph zone?

I fear if this is so, that there could be more accidents on the roads with people trying to overtake these slow drivers.

Mrs D Osguthorpe, Toby Court, Strensall , York.

•I SEE that 20mph speed limit signs are going up in York.

In my humble opinion it wouldn’t be a bad idea if they went up on the outskirts of York, say from Murton roundabout to Stamford Bridge.

The tethered horses would be safer from speeding, idiotic motorists, and councillors who seem to have a down on gipsies would probably stop moaning; or would they?

Or would the gipsies’ crowing cockbirds be next on the agenda?

Ken Holmes, Cliffe Common, Selby.