ON the petition started by motorist Brian Marks against the introduction of 20mph limits in Stroud.

Posted by A Stroud Worm: I live up a big hill that was recently changed to 20mph. Change down, cause less damage. Simple. It is safer.

Posted by Robert Sinfield: Your car struggles to get up a hill unless you accelerate harder? I suggest you might want to get it to the garage for a check over.

Posted by kjag23: Just change down a gear. I agree that the blanket 20mph speed limit for most of Stroud is a ridiculous, poorly thought out waste of resources but this argument is just stupid.

Posted by brian.marks: Perhaps I should elaborate on the article as the instigator of this petition.

Firstly, I am not against the scheme if it implemented for safety reasons. I have introduced the petition as I feel some of the 20mph zones need revision as currently they are confusing, inconsistent throughout the area and indicate that 20mph is the limit up some very sharp hills/inclines (such as the whole of Folly Lane, Peghouse Rise and much of Parliament Street and Bisley Road.... and I urge you to try 20mph before passing judgement on my driving capabilities), where, frankly, it likely to promote looking at your speedometer more so than your surroundings.

Also, 20mph has also been put as the limit on some ‘back-road’ residential estates such as Thompson Road, Mason Road and Daniels Road (not an exhaustive list) where, frankly, 20mph gives a dangerous indication that it is a safe speed when it would actually be too fast with children playing in those areas.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (widely regarded as the safest drivers on the planet) stated on BBC Radio 4 that this type of implementation of 20 mph is “the cheapest and least effective technique of lowering speeds and only achieves a 1-2 mph reduction in speed” when compared to traffic calming or proper crossings.