HOORAY! At last something sensible is being done to slow down traffic on the A140.It's testament to the sense of the county council – and the inertia that grips the Highways Agency – that only two years after taking control of the road a 50mph speed limit is being introduced along its entire length in Suffolk.

HOORAY! At last something sensible is being done to slow down traffic on the A140.

It's testament to the sense of the county council – and the inertia that grips the Highways Agency – that only two years after taking control of the road a 50mph speed limit is being introduced along its entire length in Suffolk.

I know that some people have complained about this – claiming that it isn't speed which kills but bad driving – but they really ought to start living in the real world!

What happened when the speed limit was introduced at Haughley bends? The number of deaths plummetted.

Just because Mr Careful can drive safely at 95mph doesn't mean everyone can!

My one real concern about the new speed limit is that too many people will ignore it.

There's a simple solution to that – more fixed speed cameras, perhaps as many as one every two miles.

They could be paid for by the fines they gather – although hopefully they won't bring in too much money once drivers realise they have to abide by the limit or find the trip between Ipswich and Norwich very costly.

Shame on Norfolk County Council for not introducing a similar limit on their section of the road north of the Scole by-pass.

It makes it look as if they don't care about the carnage on the road.

Suffolk County Council has taken action and should be congratulated.

Now it's up to drivers in or on every vehicle from a motorcycle to a 38-tonne artic to abide by the new limit.

While on the subject of abusing road regulations, it's good to see Ipswich council trying to get the police to take the problem of arrogant motorists ignoring pedestrianised streets in the town centre.

I don't see why there can't be permanent action taken against these motorists – why not have cameras installed along the prohibited roads taking pictures of every vehicle that passes.

That would quickly sort out those using the roads illegally – and would mean police officers did not have to be tied up with enforcing the law.

I know some drivers would cry foul – but if they obey the regulations they'd have nothing to worry about.

BACK in June I turned my guns on the Campaign to Protect Rural England after it produced a report hitting out at supermarkets springing up in market towns.

I've finally got a response, which in fairness I must share with you:

What you wrote was an absurd misrepresentation of our position. I could spend a lot of time explaining why and how you're wrong but I'm not sure it would get through.

Suffice to say that none of our staff at national office own 4x4s in which to pile out to the countryside at the weekend.

And you're right - there are plenty of people in government and politics, as well as in business and in the media - both national, local and regional - who do think we have a valid point of view.

Though we campaign for a viable and beautiful countryside on behalf of everyone, wherever they live, the fact is that very many of our tens of thousands of supporters and members live in the countryside.

We enjoy this support from ordinary people, from decision-makers and 'opinion formers' like you because our arguments and campaigns are much better, and more thoughtful, than the ill-informed and unfair rot you wrote about us.

all the best,

Nick Schoon

Head of Communications

CPRE, national office, 128 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SW

As someone who was born on a farm, lived in small towns and villages for the first 27 years of my life and still considers myself to be a "countryman" at heart, I'm not too keen on being told "we know best" by an organisation about the countryside by an organisation based in SE1 0SW.

My problem with the CPRE is – and has been for many years – that it seems to want to create an idealised countryside fit for tourists to admire but not really practical for ordinary people to live in.

We need a countryside where new small homes are built in villages – and not just bijou country cottages to fit in with the chocolate box ideal but genuine starter homes so youngsters can buy a house in their own community.

That means, for them to be economic, builders have to be able to develop some reasonably large estates of 50-100 homes.

And we don't need outsiders shouting "you're swamping the village" in one breath and then moaning about a local shop closing in the next!

We don't need people in London to tell us we can't have a supermarket in Hadleigh or Halesworth.

That doesn't benefit the butchers and bakers in Hadleigh or Halesworth – it means their residents get into the cars and drive to Tesco at Ipswich or Safeway at Beccles.

Country people aren't a different breed to those who live in towns – they want the same things in life and don't need to be patronised like this.