Letter: Change in direction on road safety policy

Sir: In the aftermath of the tragic road accidents over the Easter weekend, leaving at least 18 people dead, Christian Wolmar's article 'A long road to fewer deaths' (14 April) correctly identified the need for a review of current road traffic policies.

The Government pours billions of pounds per year into new high- speed road traffic networks. Car manufacturers continuously market the glamorous image of high-speed performance vehicles. It is surely high time that the Government changed direction and formulated an effective transport strategy to tackle the real problems of road safety.

A concerted effort by the Government to educate the public to the dangers of speed, along with increased investment in measures such as traffic calming, speed restrictions and effective public transport services, will not only make Britain's road network cleaner and more efficient, but will also go some way to reducing the hundreds of deaths on our roads each year.

Yours sincerely,

JOAN WALLEY

MP for Stoke-on-Trent North (Lab)

House of Commons

London, SW1

14 April

The writer is Opposition spokesperson for transport.