I USED to drive through Marshwood quite regularly and – while obeying it – thought the 30mph limit seemed too low for too long.

I suspected that there were probably some angry local campaigners behind it, as the council wouldn’t have introduced a 30 limit all the way from the north end to way beyond the school of their own volition.

I now read that presumably the same angry locals now want a 20 limit! If the 30 limit is regularly flouted what makes them think the same drivers will treat a lower limit with more respect? So what then: a 10 limit?

I drive for a living, and in my experience 20 limits are often ignored. In fact more broadly: inappropriately low limits are usually ignored.

However, I understand how frustrating it must be to live in Marshwood – as the somewhat wide road and bit of countryside from the village proper to the school is the reason 30mph seemed slow to me – and particularly how worrying it must be to have your children trying to cross the road to go to the playing field.

So why not campaign for a pelican crossing outside the school, and perhaps some engineering measures to make the road at least appear narrower? Even people who ignore speed limit signs seem curiously adherent to traffic lights and road markings.

As an example, take a drive through Buckland Newton (north of Dorchester) which has a similar feel to Marshwood, where a ‘pavement’ has been painted on one side of the road. Buckland Newton is a 30 limit and yet the road markings make it feel appropriate.

Sadly, when I see the words ‘Community Speedwatch’ I tend to find that the people involved – whether they admit it or not – just don’t really like cars, and common sense engineering measures simply don’t have the punitive element that they crave.

JONATHAN ROBSON
Burton Bradstock