The discussion on a proposed 20mph for Largs still leaves unanswered questions, letter-writer Stephen McBride states in a letter to the Largs and Millport News this week.

He writes; "An average speed which,of course is distinct from a median or mode speed of less than 20mph does not tell us: 1) which part of the day the average speed was monitored at 19mph and 2) what were the maximum speeds detected during the survey.

"If the low average speed was recorded during busy periods i.e. congestion enforced limits, and not all day long we would still need to know about speeds at quieter times. Since it only takes one or more speeding drivers to cause fatalities and serious injuries - it was not so long ago that we had a double road tragedy in the town, in which speeding was a contributory factor - it is vital to ascertain how many drivers, if any, were clocked exceeding even the existing 30mph in a built-up area. Hopefully,Transport Scotland and perhaps the police, will answer these questions.

"To be sure, I am not a driver who wants to be preceded by a man carrying a red flag, but I am perfectly well aware of the laws of momentum - stopping distances increase exponentially with every increase in driving speed and of the effects of kinetic energy on the human body, at even relatively low impact speeds; ceteris paribus, hit a pedestrian at 20mph, most will survive with few serious injuries,at 30 mph 2 out of 10 will be killed with some of the rest sustaining serious injuries and at 35mph, 5 out of 10 will die with most of the others suffering from significant incapacitating injuries such as paralysis and permanent brain damage.

"I know there are inattentive pedestrians out there - this applies across the board to all road users - but I don’t think they deserve a death penalty, because they have not been concentrating and because a driver is too selfish to observe the speed limit."