Driving too slowly takes the mind off the road

SIR – You report (December 18) that Bath and North East Somerset council’s “safer” 20mph speed zones have led to a rise in road deaths.

Driving at 20mph when conditions don’t warrant it is brain-achingly tedious. Bored minds wander, drivers are less alert and more accidents are inevitable. The authorities responsible for introducing this scheme have wasted both money and lives. Chris Qual

Beckenham, Kent

SIR – Lower speed limits make streets attractive, safer and more inclusive. A well-established body of evidence shows that slower speeds mean fewer collisions – and that, when collisions do happen, injuries are much less severe. A study published in the British Medical Journal, looking back over 20 years of data, concluded that 20mph zones had halved the number of children killed or seriously injured.

We strongly support the need for universal speed limits for all urban areas across Britain. Xavier Brice

CEO, Sustrans, the walking and cycling charity

Bristol