THIS week we report how councillors have hit back at critics - who include this newspaper - of a speed humps, traffic calming system introduced at Burley Woodhead. At the same time, we print a further selection of letters from readers objecting to the 11 speed humps and 20mph limit on the country road.

Coun Chris Greaves produces figures to show that there is plenty of traffic using the road. We don't disagree.

He argues that most of the vehicles are using the road to avoid the congested A65. We don't disagree.

He says that many drivers are speeding and that restrictions are needed. We don't disagree.

Unfortunately, the good councillor and his colleagues apparently cannot tell the difference between commonsense and nonsense, and the current scheme belongs to the latter. It is an 'over the top' solution. Or is this to be the jackboot panacea for all roads affected by speeding traffic? Why not put speed humps and a 20mph limit on all urban roads?

Where are the accident figures on the moor road to justify slowing traffic to a first-gear crawl, moving it more slowly than on 99 per cent of roads throughout towns and cities? What are the number of accidents on the Burley Woodhead road compared with those on Coun Greaves' recommended 'perfectly good' A65.

He further says that many drivers are 'outsiders', that they shouldn't be using it in the first place. Sorry, councillor, but we were under the impression that this was a public road, built to allow traffic to get from one place to another.

It is not solely for the use of residents of the hamlet. If you have a through road, you will get through traffic.