I coordinate the county-wide campaign for 20mph where people live, work and play. We have much support from residents and local councils throughout Hampshire who want their streets to feel like they belong to their community rather than an inconvenience on someone else's route.

In a letter published on February 24, Richard Long suggests that the current 20mph roads in Winchester have not been as effective as hoped - this is understandable.

Evidence shows there is more effective speed limit reduction where wide area 20mph is introduced, essentially normalising this speed where people and traffic mix.

Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has publicly stated her support and the police's intention to enforce 20mph.

20mph is demonstrably safer - every one mph of speed reduction leads to a six per cent reduction in collisions, a pedestrian hit at 20mph is most likely to survive without serious injury, at 30mph a pedestrian is more likely to die or sustain a life-changing injury.

20mph reduces noise pollution by 50 per cent, and David Hughes in his letter also of February 24 has hit on something, although he is mistaken in his interpretation: a recent Skyrad study of real life driving (rather than lab tests) demonstrated conclusively that at 30mph MORE pollution is produced due to braking and accelerating - at 20mph traffic travels at a steadier state reducing emissions by 26 per cent.

20mph in an urban setting does not add significant time to journeys, makes the addition of infrastructure for walking and cycling far cheaper, and uses less fuel (or indeed electric charge) something that we all need to be mindful of with current energy prices!

20mph is extremely popular- who doesn't want traffic to travel slowly and thoughtfully outside their house? And this opportunity and courtesy must be extended to others too. I urge your readers to join the campaign for 20mph: it is just plain nicer for communities.

Hannah Greenberg

High Street

Twyford