TODAY we have reported on the news that campaigners will have to pay £17,500 to review the speed limit on a “death trap” road.

Campaigners in Westmeston want the limit cut from 60mph to 40mph in their village.

No doubt they are a group of many across the county who are concerned by the flagrant disregard of a minority of drivers.

In many residential streets in Brighton and Hove the limit has been cut to 20mph for safety reasons.

Lower speed limits and tough enforcement can seem a pain for some motorists, but they allow pedestrians and cyclists to be safe.

So campaigners, be they in city communities, towns, or leafy villages, should not face such massive costs for simply trying to keep people out of harm.

While there are always token idiots who ignore stricter limits, the effect for many is to make our highways better before a fatality happens.

The Argus has reported on similar campaigns across Sussex, including on the A259 at Rottingdean, as one example.

Warning signs, speed cameras, and clever design can make a difference and save lives.

But for council chiefs to turn to residents and tell them to cough up for the cost of reviewing our roads is absurd.

There cannot be a price put on to communities for their own safety.

It is precisely why we pay council tax, for those with the expertise to judge what measures need to be taken.

While they do have to strike a balancing act with budgets, they should not make us pay for them to listen.