I WAS surprised to read Roger Birchall's letter, Guardian, March 25, where he appeared to disagree with reducing the speed limit on either some or all of the A50 between the end of Sugar Pit Lane and Mere crossroads, following the tragic accident outside Fryers Garden Centre.

He is correct in saying that another accident occurred on the A50 that week, on a 30mph stretch, but there was a crucial difference: no-one died there. It is, surely, beyond doubt that reducing speed reduces impact in a collision, and results in fewer fatalities.

I would doubt whether travelling along the A50 to the Mere lights at 50mph or 60mph would alter your journey time by any more than a matter of seconds. But it would alter the impact of another accident. Are those few seconds worth the risk?

Any road directly accessed by either people's driveways or side roads should have a speed limit of less than 60mph. I currently drive to work along the A556 to Hartford, which can be an alarming experience with side roads such as Flittogate Lane and various farm entrances directly accessing the road.

I felt safer when I worked in Bramhall, driving up the A34 with a 70mph limit as it is serviced by slip roads.

I agree that some roads around Knutsford have reduced their limits by what feels like too much, driving to Wilmslow along the Mobberley Road at 30mph feels slow on certain stretches of the road, but there are many driveways along that road so we should agree to err on the side of caution.

Sophie Turner Knutsford