AFTER over 30 years of maintaining a clean driving licence, I was recently fined for speeding in the notorious Whalley Road area of Great Harwood.

As most people now know, the speed limit has been reduced from 40mph to 30mph and I was booked at 38mph.

On receiving notification of my misdemeanour, I duly requested to attend the relatively-new "Speed Awareness Course" in order to avoid being awarded three penalty points, and was informed I didn't meet the criteria, as I was travelling over 35mph.

I would be interested to know, exactly what other criteria have to be met, if any, in order to attend this course.

A TIMMINS (Mrs), Harwood Lane, Great Harwood.

Footnote: Lancashire County Council's Road Safety Group said: "The speed awareness course is a three-year pilot project that is designed for drivers who have exceeded the speed limit through a temporary lapse. Only those people who are caught travelling at 35mph are eligible for the speed awareness course.

"It is not considered that breaking a 30mph limit by more than 5mph is the result of a temporary lapse.

"Lancashire's speed awareness scheme is being put up as a model for schemes around the country. It is also the only one in the country that is being evaluated independently to ensure it has a positive effect."