Sir.-I am sure Ms Spreadbury (Letters to the Editor, Gazette, July 14) and her followers will get a speed camera on the A30 very soon, as I am sure the Hampshire Safety Camera Partnership will do all in its power to be able to place one of the "cash machines" in such a potentially-profitable location.

Everyone seems to be on the speed bandwagon, yet again.

Why is it people assume that lowering speed limits will cure all traffic-related problems?

In my opinion, lowering the speed limit on a badly designed stretch of road will cure nothing. Using a bit of intelligence and better road design will do a lot more good.

Perhaps closing all crossing points along this stretch is a better option. These are lethal on dual carriageways where the slow traffic crossing the road has to first cross the overtaking lane before getting to the safety of the inside lane.

Also, in the case at Water End, the visibility is poor because of the verges and incline of the road.

What I have always regarded as particularly stupid at this location is the amount of lorries heading in both directions, but especially towards Hook, where they slow down in the overtaking lane so they can do a u-turn back to Priddys Depot. This should not be allowed.

I believe it's only because most people drive with their eyes open that more accidents have not happened here.

Traffic lights or a roundabout could replace these crossings, which would make this whole stretch 100 per cent safer as the traffic would slow down in a controlled manner.

By putting speed cameras there, all the drivers are going to be looking for is the camera location and will then hit their brakes at the last minute. Their attention will be taken away from any vehicles entering from their left - i.e. the pub and mobile home site - or, worse still, the lorries trying to cross in both directions.

As for converting the road to single carriageway, this has got to be the doziest idea of all! This would really be frustrating and probably cause more accidents.

Yes, we have the M3 but, as anyone who has travelled along it at peak times will know, if all the traffic using the A30 was pushed in that direction, the M3 would grind to a halt.

One minute motorists are being told not to use the motorways for short journeys of one or two junctions, then they are being criticised for using an alternative A road because the people who chose to live alongside this road don't like the noise.

Hopefully, common sense will prevail - which I doubt - and this section of the A30 will become much safer for all concerned, without any draconian measures imposed on the majority of law-abiding drivers.

-David Latham, Hook.