THERE are astonishing inaccuracies in Mr Anthony Hopwood's letter on the county council's Village Speed Initiative and other highway matters (Postbag, October 13).

The county council has nothing whatsoever to do with the A38, which is the responsibility of the national Highways Agency. The island at Holy Green was paid for by the parish council and installed at that their expense. In no case has the county council given 'warning of non-existent speed cameras'.

As for the Village Speed Limits scheme, the county council has imposed no signs on anybody at any time. They are only installed in response to requests from local communities. They are deliberately highly visible because their purpose is to build up an awareness to the people who live there - and saving lives on the road is an issue for those people, whatever Mr Hopwood may say. Every one of the before-and-after checks completed so far shows some decrease in speed.

Mr Hopwood talks of the scheme in Malvern Hills as a 'spending spree' - strange words for about 0.77% of the county council's total budget, now benefiting more than 90 areas, from south of Malvern all the way to Tenbury Wells. Road accidents devastate those involved, but they also cost the public dearly in emergency operations, medical costs and lost working time. £2,000 -£3,000 per community seems a fair price for an attempt to reduce them.

If Mr Hopwood really cares for the good of Worcestershire, he can show it by basing his comments on facts.

JEREMY WEBB, County Councillor, Malvern Trinity Division.