CHAMPIONS of the countryside believe there must be a ‘culture change’ to get drivers to slow down on rural roads.

The Cheshire East countryside access forum wants to see an end to irresponsible driving on narrow country roads – particularly on unmarked roads which are set at the national speed limit.

In a report brought to the forum on Thursday, chairman Bob Anderson looked at how speeds could be brought down in the countryside.

The Nantwich resident said: “Rural roads, and safe speed on them, vary immensely – and a one-size-fits-all solution would potentially disrupt necessary traffic flow.

“Because of this I don’t think there is a chance of acceptance by the public at large. And what would the limit be? 20mph would be too low, 50mph would make little difference.”

Mr Anderson suggested that different speed limits on different roads could work, but this would become a burden on Cheshire East Council.

Instead, he proposed that changing driver behaviour could be the most effective way of improving road safety in the countryside.

Mr Anderson added: “Though an accident at high speed will be worse than one at low speed, speed in itself is not the problem.

“The problem is inappropriate speed, failure to understand risks, and lack of vehicle control.”

Cllr Rhoda Bailey, Conservative CEC member for Odd Rode, told the forum that public attitude had changed dramatically over the past 50 years on issues such as smoking and drink driving.

She suggested that a similar approach to driving behaviours is needed to help make rural roads safer.

Cllr Bailey said: “I would favour a reduction in speed on roads that don’t have lines in the middle of them to 40mph – but it is about changing people’s attitudes.

“Years ago you could drink and drive. We saw the accident figures from the 1960s for drink driving and it was horrendous – so it’s about getting a culture change.”

The forum agreed it would continue to lobby CEC and other bodies on specific ways to improve countryside road safety.