AFTER having read the front page story regarding the high speeds on our Forest roads I thought I had better step up and say something, even at the risk of being pilloried for going against the grain.

I will give you a little background first so you might come to understand I am not talking out of my elbow.

My motoring experience started in the early 70s when we had 70 mph speed limits on our A and B roads.

In contrast we had poor suspension and brakes and most vehicles were unreliable but, believe it or not, the roads were much better than they are now and it was not seen as a hanging offence to overtake.

I rode a Japanese motorcycle and apart from the odd bit of gravel rash I was, and am, unscathed.

That does not mean I spent my life way below the speed limit.

Far from it – but I had respect for the road conditions and my limitations.  

As I grew older I traded the thrills of the road for the thrills of the track and spent 10 years racing motocross with some success, learning how to deal with different conditions and how to control a machine which was always threatening to chuck me off.

I am 58 years old, I travel on our roads around 30,000 to 35,000 miles a year in my profession and I can tell you I do not travel like a snail.

The biggest issue with speed I find is perception.

If you are used to traveling in the slow lane of the motorway à la Reginald Molehusband (see the 70s government information film), having me pass at 70 something will undoubtedly shock you into thinking I am a speed jockey.

Far from it, but I may travel 300 to 400 miles in a day so time is precious to me, I can’t and do not want to get up at 3am to travel at 50 on the motorway when I am already getting up at 4.30am.

Our roads are now full of ‘Reginalds’ travelling at 10mph or 20mph lower that the conditions allow holding everyone else up, thinking they are holier than thou and saving a thimble of fuel.

You only have to drive towards Chepstow on the A48 to find every Reginald driving 10mph lower than the limit allows on a clear road.

What’s worse is that no one wants to overtake him.

Instead of these people adding even more regulation to our lives, just like the EU, they should spend more effort on a real issue which is the poor condition of the roads and the shoddy resurfacing that takes place.

The resurfaced road at Stroat is a prime example of the substandard work we are getting from Amey.

The surface is  more akin to a washboard than a proper road surface and every joint is like a mountain range.

For years we have suffered from poor investment of our roads on this side of the river while millions get spent elsewhere: I see this daily.

The button counters need to have a look at some of our roads instead of putting up signs saying how many casualties we have had whether its a grazed knee or a cut finger?

The death rate on our roads is falling despite the traffic increasing.

Does that not say enough?

So before we all start saying put lower speed limits in place, and have PC Plod hiding behind trees and walls pointing speed cameras at us, all the while demanding an increase in our policing charges, lets look at a real way to improve safety.

Improve the roads and get some of the money we need for it from our authorities who are in charge of the budget, and start putting pressure on our elected officials to make sure they work for us in the Forest. – William Ervig, Whitecroft.