The Times yesterday reports plans to create 20mph zones policed by average speedcameras.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "It has long been a fundamental principle of roadsafety that the speed limit should match drivers' perceptions of an appropriatespeed for the environment. For this reason Department for Transport (DfT)guidance has been that 20mph zones should be 'self enforcing'. 'Self enforcing'has previously meant humps or other traffic calming features in 20mph zones.These plans indicate that this principle is being abandoned. To do so would bea dangerous error. Road safety depends on drivers skill and ability inselecting a safe and appropriate speed according to the environment."

"This scheme will do nothing for road safety. It simply takes too much driverattention to maintain 20mph - try it for yourself. Even after that, manyspeedos are not sufficiently accurate at 20mph to keep drivers safe fromprosecution."

"Because the cameras are at the entrance and exit of the zone, they will onlybe able to record speeds of vehicles crossing the zone. If you're stopping inthe zone your speed can't be measured. If your journey starts and ends in thezone your speed can't be measured. Only a small percentage of traffic will bemonitored."

"As a road safety initiative I give this scheme nought out of ten. Must tryharder."