The government plans to reduce the speed limit on rural roads to 40mph can’t come soon enough for Dorset.


  In fact, the speed limit on our wiggly, narrow, high-hedge country lanes should be cut to 20mph.


Dorset drivers of many vehicles daily practice overtaking from Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button as they rocket down some routes which are often only one-vehicle in width.


Dorset County Council data shows that there were 202 people killed or seriously injured on roads within the county in 2011 and that does not include Poole and Bournemouth.


In addition to that horrifying number there were 1,129 “slight” injuries in other collisions across the county in the same year – these are classed as “whiplash, sprains or  minor lacerations”.


Having been quite badly injured in a hit-and-run road incident many years ago I would implore all drivers to cool it.


Ron Kirby, Dorchester