Letter: In the slow lane

Sir: The views expressed on car speeds by Mervyn Curran and JJ Putnam (letters, 3, 6 February) need to be seriously questioned. While I agree that the idea of life in a society where everybody ambles along at 20mph sounds idyllic, it is an unworkable and dangerous fantasy.

If every vehicle halves its speed, it will take twice as long to complete its journey; hence road occupancy will double and our roads will become twice as congested. Crossing the road will therefore become harder, not easier, in most urban and suburban areas.

In any case, our society depends for its wealth and stability upon constant economic expansion through improved communications: to hamstring it through artificial restraints would be an act of Luddism and economic folly.

OLIVER HOWARTH

Wolverhampton, West Midlands