I read the article about the new Peugeot 307 on Page 11 of the Motoring section of the Wiltshire Times dated Friday 30 October 2001 with interest, until I read the quote that "at 90mph the car was very peaceful".

The article continued: "my 307 spent a long time on a motorway journey following a Jaguar XJS which for all its power couldn't manage to make more progress."

Now I understand that the legal limit for travel on British roads is 70mph, and I also believe that excessive speed is one of the prime causes of accidents and injuries on the roads.

I was dismayed to see that the Wiltshire Times appears to condone speeding, as there was no mention at all that the 90mph had been achieved somewhere where this might be legal, such as on a private race track or an autobahn.

I am appreciative of the lead taken by the Wiltshire Times in conjunction with the Wiltshire police to encourage safer driving, and I felt it even more necessary to write when I perceived this as being an example of applying a double standard.

I am aware that a large section of the advertising revenue of the Wiltshire Times derives from motoring, but I am also sure that all sections of the motor trade would wholeheartedly agree that we should not give the impression that it is cool to exceed the speed limit.

I am sure interesting articles can be written which could incorporate full-life running costs, exhaust emissions and vehicle road tax details, which are of increasing interest to the modern motorist.

An apology, and confirmation that the Wiltshire Times does not encourage speeding would be welcome.

David Lovell,

Councillor,

Warminster Town Council.

Paul Rollinson, the Wiltshire Times motoring correspondent, replies: Cllr Lovell can be assured that our road tests do not involve racing dangerously along the highways of Britain (if they did, I would risk a permanent ear-bashing from my wife, a law-abiding magistrate).

We use statistics from several sources. Timings for the 0-60 dash, for example, are available to everyone, in official figures.

Car makers often stage their press launches abroad, no doubt to avoid problems with the UK law, while Honda invited us to the Isle of Man's TT track for the press launch of its fast Civic Type-R in September.

The reference to the Jaguar XJS never mentioned a specific speed. On the contrary, it pointed out that supercar performance is no benefit on Britain's busy motorways.

As for double standards, consider that though the Government sets the nation's speed limit, it does not choose to ban the production of cars which can comfortably exceed it. (I cannot find any car currently in production which cannot exceed 70mph.)

Nor does the Treasury refuse to accept taxes from the sale of cars which can break the law.