ON June 22, I was photographed doing 36mph in a 30mph area. The offence occurred on Birchfield Road towards the Foxlydiate in Redditch.

I paid my fine in good grace and received three penalty points.

Since then, I have become increasingly concerned and disturbed by the whole issue.

I am sure a check on the computer would show a clean driving licence over the last 30 years so I am, to begin with, annoyed a warning was not issued for what was my first offence.

This simply angers the motorist who compares such punishment with that meted out for other crimes such as possession of drugs and joy riding by underage drivers.

I know the Government makes the laws but with regard to non-motoring offences, the law can be flexible.

The £60 fine was sufficient. The penalty points on top was excessive.

I was sent a glossy brochure, showing clearly on the front a wonderfully visible yellow camera and the slogan "We Have Nothing to Hide".

I drove yesterday at 25mph along the whole length of Birchfield Road through Webheath to Headless Cross.

My passenger and I looked very carefully for a camera and saw none.

Indeed, there is not even a single sign telling drivers what the speed limit is. Not one in all that length of road. Nothing to hide?

They must have made a mint already from visitors to Redditch.

Most of the road, while having dwellings along it toward the Fox end, is hardly what you would call built up. I have always assumed the limit on that stretch to be 40mph.

I have travelled the road regularly as a visitor to my elderly relatives in the Archers end of Birchfield Road and doubt I have ever treated the Fox end of the road as 30mph.

I have travelled this road for 23 years.

If there were to be changes we should have been notified by the erection of signs.

It's not good enough to say we should drive according to the Highway Code and should know it's a 30mph area. I feel that's open to debate on this stretch of road.

I am not a law breaker but this affair made me feel like one

IAN FIDLER

Denbigh Close

Wrexham

l COULD you please tell your readers about the presence of police speed cameras along Birchfield Road in Redditch?

Although there are no speed signs of any type, there is a 30mph restriction.

I was told the way to tell there is a speed restriction is to measure the distance between streetlamps. There must be in a system of 24 lamps a distance of 200 yards between each lamp. An error of 12 yards is allowed.

The problem is it does not tell you if the speed limit is 30mph, 40mph or 50mph.

I thought readers might in future, before setting out on their journey, remember to take a tape measure with them.

With the road system in Redditch plus the above rule, doesn't it get better for motorists?

Name and address supplied