HEADLINE writers make me angry: “Drivers made to pay penalty. Anger as 15,000 caught in A1(M) roadworks speedtrap” (Echo, May 2).

The way the story is headlined you would think it was 15,000 a week. Put in perspective, 15,000 over two-and-a-half years is only 16 per day. Given the number of vehicles using this stretch of road every day, it is amazing that the number of fines given out is so incredibly small.

Furthermore, to reduce your speed from 70mph to 50mph over a stretch of 12 miles adds only five minutes to your journey.

We should reserve our anger and headlines for those who can’t spare five minutes to keep everybody safe and for those who flagrantly break the law.

Name and address supplied, County Durham

YOUR front page told of the number of drivers caught breaking the speed limit through the roadworks on the A1(M) between Barton and Leeming (Echo, May 2).

Your headline said it was a “speedtrap”, but a trap is something that is hidden to catch the unwary. Through all these roadworks, the 50 miles an hour signs are very evident.

So, 15,000 drivers disregard the legal set limit for this stretch of road, even after all the very obvious signs broadcasting the speed limit to them. If they cannot obey these limits set for safety reasons, they can have no reason to object to any fines or penalties imposed. Their anger should be directed to their own behaviour which hopefully will moderate their driving in future.

Speeding drivers might not care about their own safety but they should have the decency to realise how dangerous their actions are for the workforce. If you don’t like the fines, don’t do the crime.

M Hawkins, Langley Park, Durham