Give pothole repairs greater priority than high speed rail

THE Government has admitted 84 per cent of journeys are made by drivers, but targets undue investment at High Speed Rail, which is only a priority for about three per cent of the public. Meanwhile, under investment in fixing potholes persists.

Whereas we are pleased to see concern expressed over the rocketing level of parking charges, some action to stop this would have been preferred.

Our Roads Minister deserves some credit for noticing that where speed camera partnerships published data, most cameras seemed to be cash cows rather than safety measures, and even highlighted a possible cause of accidents.

However it is now two years since his predecessor promised to abolish the camera quangos and champion better and more cost-effective approaches to road safety, like vehicle-activated signs.

Little wonder that this summer, a RAC survey recorded 99 per cent of drivers as feeling that the “war on the motorist” was still very much going on.

Many anti-motorist measures are still in place, and the Government must announce a clear timetable for scrapping them.

We are taxed five times over for the services we get. With many families under financial pressure, next year’s potentially above-inflation rise in fuel duty should be the first to go.

From: MJ Wadley, Olive Grove, Harrogate.

HAVING been a motorist since 1951, I am intrigued as to how I learn about new road traffic signs.

One day last week, I was driving my car and came to a set of roadworks controlled by traffic lights.

The lights were at red, so I came to a stop at the sign.

I thought I was seeing things and asked my front seat passenger to read out loud what the sign stated “Wait here until green light shows”.

The sign was of similar colouring, size and lay out as the sign with which I was much more familiar “When red light shows wait here”. Why the change? Is there a subtle difference? To me they mean the same thing.

I consulted what books I had on driving such as Highway Code, Know Your Traffic Signs and Driving Standards Agency book The Driving Manual, but to no avail.

Is it possible that roadworks companies are allowed to display signs of their own designs providing they fall within the parameters laid down by the Department of Transport?

I am intrigued.