Given the dangers of cycling in cities (Lower speed limit in towns would increase cycling – poll, 20 February), one might think cycling in the countryside would be safer. But recent research commissioned by the Department for Transport states almost half of cycling fatalities in the UK occur on rural roads, where the risk of being killed while cycling is up to 10 times higher than the UK average.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England believes cycling should be attractive and safe for people in town and country. We have been calling for national funding of safe walking and cycling routes along busy rural roads. We are also campaigning for national speed limit guidance – due to be revised later this year – to be changed to make 40mph zones on minor rural roads the norm. This would mirror the approach by the Dutch, who have found that such measures have cut serious crashes on their rural roads even more effectively than new, lower speed limits in their urban areas.

Ralph Smyth

CPRE senior transport campaigner