LAST Saturday afternoon, the westbound M60 came to a standstill, caused by a crash on the slopes of the aptly-named "Death Valley". Tens of thousands of people were stranded: myself included, along with my wife, son and two young grandsons. We were stranded for two-and-a-half hours. Even the emergency vehicles struggled to reach the crash site.

An untimely accident for thousands, but perhaps one that helps to answer a question from Janette Glynn ("Why is Peel Way a 30mph road", Letters, October 24).

Upset at having received a speeding ticket, she thinks the speed limit on Peel Way is inappropriate and wants to know why it is a 30mph road. Well, it's possibly because a young female student was killed while crossing this road not too long ago. Or maybe, to reduce the crash potential of the confusing (and gridlocked) scenario waiting at Bury Bridge and Moorgate.

The handful of seconds gained by driving fast, or indeed too close, could be wiped out a thousand times over as a result of even the most minor collision.

Ms Glynn has been asked to pay a small "forfeit" for driving too fast. At the other end of the scale, less fortunate road users, many of them totally innocent, forfeit their life. Hence the need for limits, cameras and enforcement.

Unlike Ms Glynn, who is totally unimpressed with law enforcement, Dorothy Gunther, chairman of Ramsbottom and Tottington Area Board, is impressed with it. She has nothing but praise for the British police, and gives special credit to GMP chief constable, Michael Todd. However, she believes the police are frustrated by a judicial system in which killer drivers walk from court with nothing more than a paltry fine and a few penalty points.

Mrs Gunther suggests that, just as former mayor Rudolf Guiliani managed to clean up the streets of New York, "then with public support it might be possible for Mr Todd to clean up Greater Manchester". It is worth pointing out that Mayor Guiliani imposed zero tolerance: which applied to everyone: drug dealers, addicts, burglars, muggers, speeding drivers and red light jumpers.

If Mr Todd were to apply zero tolerance here I doubt he would get much support from drivers.

Rotarian and former teacher Colin Sawyer has written and designed a CD package on Citizenship. It will "help children . . . understand how a society operates and appreciate the need for rules and laws". Maybe Mr Sawyer could target drivers with his next CD and this could then become a fundamental part of the national driving test.

ALLAN RAMSAY,

Ashcombe Drive,

Radcliffe.