I SOMETIMES wonder if those in charge of government departments were either born stupid or whether they obtained a degree.

Do those decision-makers in charge of the Highways Agency fully understand the implications and possible dangers when deciding to make parts of the hard shoulder on some of our motorways an extra lane?

How on earth will the emergency services access an accident or breakdown if this lane is gridlocked with traffic?

It’s all very well having safe layby areas one and a half miles apart, but it’s inevitable that such incidents will occur in between such areas.

Has the HS2 railway (latest cost £50 billion) forced alterations to our roads on the cheap?

Will the decision-makers be held to account should there be, God forbid, any deaths caused directly due to these changes? No, of course not. There would be a multimillion pound enquiry, taking several years, and all those responsible would emerge squeaky clean as always.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Department of Transport announced one day that, from a certain date, all the cars will drive on the right-hand side of the road to be in keeping with Europe and, if proved successful, the following year all the buses and the lorries will do the same !

There is many a true word spoken in jest so they say, but one never knows, whatever next?

Michael Clarke, Lewell Avenue, Old Marston