DEAR EDITOR -- I have just driven along the A491 from Fairfield towards Hagley through the extensive roadworks being carried out in an attempt, we are told, to make for safer driving.

Basically the plan appears to be to paint out half the carriageway, thus reducing the capacity by half.

The part of the project that closes off the gap for right-hand turns would certainly appear to reduce dangerous turning situations but will of course penalise local drivers.

But why do we need to go on spending very large sums of money on these sorts of measures which will need constant maintenance and which in all probability will not stop drivers ignoring any new signing and cross-hatching?

Surely the answer is to have the laws enforced by those paid to do so?

Why not supplement police funds by using money being spent on these schemes?

Having police highway patrols could possibly be an answer and maybe self-funding from speeding fines and other motoring offences, licence dodgers, people without insurance etc.

If their presence did reduce bad driving and there were less accidents, there would be savings on emergency services.

RW Brown,

Moorfield Drive,

Sidemoor,

Bromsgrove