Our neglected, dangerous country roads

Madam, – In the past eight weeks, two members of my family have been knocked off their bikes and killed on country roads in northeast Fife.

I regularly drive my old Mini on country roads at an average speed of 40 to 50mph and I am regularly overtaken by cars, taxis, vans and small trucks that are quite obviously travelling at speeds of 70mph to 90mph to achieve the overtake.

Since our road system has an overall speed limit of 60mph, drivers are exceeding the speed limit every day with complete impunity.

So what is Police Scotland doing about the situation ?

The answer is, nothing much.

What is Holyrood doing about the situation?

Even less than nothing. Aside from speed issues, there is the further factor that our narrow undulating country roads were never designed for the volumes of traffic, and the large individual size of commercial vehicles now to be seen everywhere on these roads.

A 10-wheel delivery truck being driven at a fair lick, the ever increasing size of agricultural vehicles and their ever larger trailers and equipment being towed are all issues that should be receiving attention from the authorities.

Apart from anything else, the increased weights contribute to wear and tear on the roads, resulting in potholes that are rarely repaired by council.

I had always thought that the creation of a devolved Assembly in Scotland was a good idea, and would make a significant difference to the daily lives of ordinary people.

Instead we have a government so completely obsessed with stage-managing nationalist campaigns and constitutional matters, there is neither time nor appetite for any worthwhile contribution being made towards the real issues that affect our lives.

Most likely, the obvious way to achieve reductions in traffic volumes and vehicle size is either by taxation or the introduction of a tollroad system based upon FinTech.

But so long as the SNP remains in charge and remains obsessed with its idealism, I believe there is little chance of seeing any improvement to the situation in my lifetime. Derek Farmer. Knightsward Farm, Anstruther.