MOTORISTS have some justification for feeling that they are revenue punchbags.

On top of our petrol being highly-taxed, in recent times speed cameras have sprung up in the most unlikely places to relieve the unwitting motorist of £60.

The complaint from Martin Narey, the head of the Prisons Service, seems to take motorists' sense of injustice one stage further. He says that our prisons are being overwhelmed by jailed motorists who should be serving community sentences.

But, unless Mr Narey has volumes of evidence to the contrary, there will not be many old grannies doing porridge for parking on double yellow lines while hobbling on sticks to collect their pensions. Nor will there be many parents doing time for going a little too fast when they were late again on the school-run.

But there will be people who have caused death by dangerous driving or by drink-driving. There will also be those who have already served community sentences for motoring offences but have shown contempt for the law by breaking their court orders.

There will also be those who have been convicted of driving without insurance or while disqualified - charges often put as part of a more serious string of offences.

Motorists are hard done by in many ways, but it must also be remembered that cars - and motorbikes - are lethal weapons when driven too fast by those who repeatedly demonstrate that they care not for those unfortunate enough to be on the road at the same time.

Prison may often be the most appropriate place for them to reside so the rest of us can drive and walk safely.