Letter: Rein-in Spain

Sir: David Prescott's and J J Putnam's letters (6 February) prompt me to suggest the system used in Spain as a possible solution to the problem of car speeds. I have just returned from the Costa del Sol, where I drove more than 1,500 miles in a few weeks, mostly along the Autovia del Mediterraneo, where the road still passes through many towns and villages.

A warning notice advises that the traffic lights will operate if a vehicle is travelling faster than the speed limit. The speed limit varies from 20kph to 50 or 60 and overhead traffic lights with eye-level repeaters flash amber in the manner of our railway level-crossing gates. If a vehicle is going too fast, the lights change to red. There is ample warning for following vehicles and presumably the system operates in a similar manner to our speed cameras.

This seems to be a very effective system and is worthy of consideration in the UK.

Incidentally, whilst I drove very little in the big cities, I found the standard of driving rather better than in the UK, apart from the wretched scooters and other two-stroke motorcycles which buzz around, making town centres noisy and fume-laden.

JOHN TIERNEY

Carlisle