Living as I do in the country and having to use 'B' class roads to get to any of the main routes I can say that the majority of drivers I encounter are, quite simply, driving much too quickly for the prevailing conditions, so I do have a degree of sympathy for the proposal.
However, in our version of the real world where central government takes the easy route towards whatever flavour their legislative dish of the day is to assume and delegates the responsibility for ramming the contents of it down our throats (whether we like it or not) I can see this as being yet another clusteropps on the road to increased costs for those of us who have no alternative but to use private transport.
I can almost see the wheels - and the Pound signs - beginning to turn within the heads of many council officials who will, no doubt, attempt to divert some of the fines from the inevitable breaches of the new limits towards bolstering their own dwindling financial resources, taking the view no doubt that one should never pass up an opportunity to bleed the cash cow, devilishly masquerading as motorists, whenever possible.
Like many other strains of legislation formulated by central government there is a degree of justified good sense here but, looking at the historical precedent, things are likely to go teats-up when the droogs at local council level are given the right to implement such legislation.
Having been a police advanced driver I can still open up when I need to (although I was never as good as some of the people I worked with) but given the appalling standards of driving now being shown by many drivers – particularly young women – I tend to keep the speed well within the posted limits, especially on the ‘B’ roads I use.
So, even though this move to alter limits has the mouth-breathing smack of the Liberals about it, I’m prepared to accept that something needs to be done – perhaps more (sensible) Peelers on the roads rather that speed cameras, or is that just the ramblings of a demented Den?