I have lived on this road for 18 years and it used to be a country lane.

Since the building of housing estates in many local villages, as well as in Stamford and Bourne, the traffic has increased enormously and continues to increase year on year.

Cars and motorbikes might slow down a little near the traffic lights, but as soon as they round the last corner and see the hill stretching out in front of them, they accelerate in a way that is frightening and highly dangerous.

The fact that they are still within a speed restriction zone does not seem to register at all.

I live just around this corner and feel that I risk my life every time I try to pull out of my drive.

Last week a police officer kindly visited me to discuss my feelings on the subject and I asked him to stand on my drive and study the traffic.

As we looked down towards the very sharp corner at the bottom of the hill, he agreed that you could not see cars coming.

At that moment, traffic came round the blind corner, a small car (driven by a young man) passed us at great speed and the policeman remarked, "He couldn't have seen my uniform."

Essendine Hill, in particular, has become an extremely dangerous stretch.

Traffic from Bourne crests the brow at a fearsome pace and then accelerates downhill towards the bend at the bottom.

I know of at least two major incidents, including one known fatality, that have occurrred when drivers have lost control at speed in this spot.

In the other direction, traffic rounds the blind bend at the bottom and then accelerates up the hill towards Essendine.

When both streams of traffic are moving at pace, those of us attempting to join the road, or cross it by foot, are putting ourselves into harm's way each time we want to go to the village, post office and butchers - or anywhere else for that matter.

Even if all drivers maintained the posted speed limited of 40mph, which they clearly do not, we would still be at considerable risk.

In many other similar spots in the local counties, there are traffic calming measures or speed cameras to improve our road safety.

I have now started a campaign to establish a speed limit of 30pmh on this stretch of road and the associated measures to promote adherence to this limited.

By so doing, I sincerely hope to prevent any further road traffic accidents and further injuries or loss of life.

I would very much welcome your support.

James C Player
Ryhall