IT IS hard to believe that experts such as traffic engineers continue to make such fundamental errors, like the one which has created the problem of speeding traffic for residents of Salisbury Road, Radcliffe (Bury Times, Aug 13).

It is not as though the speed humps referred to on nearby Turks Road have solved a problem. You only have to walk down there any time of the day and within minutes a car will speed down the middle of the road - the path of least resistance - at more than 40 mph.

Engineers in manufacturing would soon be looking for another job if they designed such a system, one so lacking in vision and foresight. It has simply diverted a problem, placing the danger elsewhere. In doing so it it has created an inconvenience and a bigger problem to be solved at even greater expense.

What if the water authority diverted flood water in order to protect homes and lives, and in doing so simply flooded other homes and threatened other lives? At best they would have egg on their face and, at worst, would probably face a huge bill for damages.

Maybe someone can explain why we have little choice but to tolerate such repeated cock-ups from traffic engineers? There are many classic examples all over the borough - in fact all over the country - many of which cost lives as well as money.

To be fair to them, they probably have to work within strict guidelines and on a limited budget. But how much public money is to be wasted, and how many more lives lost, before the authorities and the Government make the job of the traffic engineer easier by dealing effectively with the problem of the speeding motorists once and for all? Simply get them off the road; they are anti-social. Three "strikes" and they should be out, just like criminals. Or simply "evict" them, as they do with bad neighbours.

Maybe the problem of speeding drivers would be better handled by the NHS. Give them the job of campaigning against speed and drink-driving. After all, it could save them money - potentially £10.5 billion or one-quarter of their annual budget - the cost of treating accident casualties.

Give them the power to install speed cameras and to keep the proceeds, since they are the ones who have to pick up the pieces. The police could then concentrate on other crimes and the offending motorist would be denied the opportunity to abuse the officer with the comment: "Have you nothing better to do?"

ALLAN RAMSAY,

Waterlane Street,

Radcliffe.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.