AS a van driver with many years’ experience and a massive annual mileage covered I remain so angered to watch drivers every day on their mobile phones without any regard to the proven safety risks or the lives of other road-users, including my own.

Surely after all these years since a ban was placed on this misuse the message should have got through?

Clearly the penalty needs to be urgently reviewed and doubled, trebled – whatever it takes to stop this irresponsible minority. I think a 12 month immediate driving ban is the only way, now, to stamp this out for all our sakes.

I even saw the driver of a huge combine harvester going through Whitchurch last week happily chatting on his mobile.

It seems to be drivers of big, expensive cars like Jags or Range Rovers that are still the worst [offenders].

Perhaps they don’t think it applies to them, or their calls are more important, or is it ‘I’m so special’? (in fact just arrogant!) – (but these are just the people who could afford hands free). The mothers in their Chelsea Tractors are also terrible offenders, even with little Johnny sat beside (sit at the junction at Red Rice school any afternoon to see this).

I think a hotline reporting system should be established by the police so that these drivers could be reported and at least get a warning letter.

That would, of course, confirm that the police have given up on traffic patrols in this area completely, I assume due to cost cutting.

Perhaps the paper could get some Hampshire Police returns for the tiny number of convictions for driving and using a mobile, which I know will more than prove my point.

Malcolm S Ryder, Preston House, Whitchurch