I WAS sad to hear of yet another family involved in a horrific accident on the A34. Carnage on this industrial scale would be headline news if it were a care home, a hospital or even a war zone. But on our roads we tolerate it.

Who is to blame? The public, commercial vehicle operators, the highway authorities, central government or the police. What will change? Nothing.

The motoring public in their droves will tailgate, forming long dangerous convoys. Lorries and buses will continue to hassle the careful driver. The highway authorities will fail to introduce appropriate speed limits. Did you know that the government relaxed the restriction for lorries from 50 mph to 60 mph a couple of years ago? Dual carriageways are now treated like motorways, even though dual carriageways carry all manner of traffic, have dangerous crossings and junctions. I have witnessed fatalities where a lorry was crossing the carriageway at Firgo, which is just north of Winchester, and had to deal with casualties with horrendous, life-changing injuries.

I have tried engaging with government via my MP, asking for statistics for casualties since the speed limit change. I was told they do not have the information and it would be some years before the policy would be reviewed. Would this be the same for child abuse or cancer treatment?

And then just today I witnessed a police car, without its blue lights on, taking part in a speeding line of tailgating cars.

I have tried communicating with the police about the A34. They also do not collect statistics about the road and when quizzed more closely became defensive and worse than unhelpful.

The police, fire service and paramedics have to clear up the frightful mess on an almost daily basis and do a wonderful job in these circumstances, but why should they have to?

A sensible society would introduce a 50mph speed limit for all traffic immediately.

Then they would employ average speed control along the length. The authorities would build locations for the police to safely take dangerous drivers off the carriageway to a lay-by where they can educate and enforce.

Dangerous locations would be redesigned. Such an approach would drastically reduce casualties and allow traffic to flow smoothly, which in turn would improve journey times and reliability. Side benefits would include less strain on A&E departments as well as lower pollution, so fewer deaths from poor air quality near the A34.

RUPERT EMERSON
East Hendred, Wantage