Sir, – The front-page article in last week's Herald reported that pedestrians in Selborne were rejoicing at the promise of a 20 mph seed limit. I have heard no rejoicing whatsoever.

Perhaps it was drowned in the traffic noise, or in the sea of scepticism, which this village has regarding the 'activities' of HCC.

We did rejoice when umpteen years ago we obtained a lorry ban, only to learn the rejoicing was premature. It, the lorry ban, has made no difference whatsoever. Juggernauts still pass through the village, and all manner of lorries, vans great and small. No attempt is made at enforcement.

There is no mention of any enforcement of the 20 mph speed limit.

The vice-chairman of the PC is reported as saying "we are extremely grateful to HCC for reacting to the ever-present danger to Selborne in this way." Reacting? That implies to me certain alacrity. Reaction or inaction would be more fitting terms. We have been asking for this for 20 years. We have had referenda. A letter to the Times newspaper signed by many senior national figures was ignored. We had a visit from HCC officers before we got the lorry ban, and one had his umbrella hit by a wing mirror, which convinced him of our need. But really no visit was necessary then or now.

One learns at one's mother's knee that you cannot put quart into a pint pot. No great intelligence is required to comprehend this fact. We have 10,0000 vehicles a day of all shapes and sizes attempting to pass through a village street designed for ox-carts. Pavements are narrow or lacking completely. Wing-mirrors project across the pavements and lorries mount the pavements to pass.

I am glad that we have got to the first step in trying to restore life to this battered village but will save my rejoicing until it is imposed. Even then the atmosphere in the village street will remain polluted with diesel and petrol fumes. Noise pollution will continue and our buildings damaged. And my thanks are muted save to our councillor Mark Kemp-Gee who has been unfailing in his endeavours for this village and had the courage to break rank in his letter re mineral working published in the same issue. 'So shines a good deed in a naughty world'.

Edward Yates, Hastards Lane, Selborne