A survey of country road users suggests that the speed of traffic is deterring many of them from venturing far afield.

The BBC's Richard Wilson:"If traffic is seen as a growing menace by many, it's also seen as an essential part of rural life"

The survey was carried out earlier this year by volunteers from the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

They spoke to 1,022 people, 95% of whom were rural walkers, cyclists or horse riders. Of those interviewed, 91% were also motorists.

Perceived threat

Only 3% said they felt completely safe from traffic on country lanes, with 65% saying they felt threatened some or all of the time.

Almost all - 91% - said the speed limit should be reduced from its present 60 miles an hour to 40 or even 20mph.

And a majority (72%) thought that walkers, cyclists and horse riders should have priority over motorists on designated country lanes.

Paul Hamblin of CPRE said the survey showed how serious the problem of speeding traffic had become.

"People's activities and freedom are being curtailed. The time is ripe for a new approach to tackling speeding in rural areas."

The CPRE wants the speed limit on country lanes reduced to 40 mph, and 20 mph through villages.

It also wants local authorities to have the power to designate some minor roads as "quiet lanes", where other road users would have priority over motorists.

Trial schemes

Jersey's remedy is attracting new visitors

The Countryside Agency is working with local councils on three pilot quiet lane schemes, in Norfolk, Kent and Devon.

Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, which measures nine miles by five, has about 300 miles of roads.

Since 1994 about 45 miles of these have been designated as quiet lanes, with a speed limit of 15 mph.

The lanes are marked by special signs, and have spread over most of the island.

Donna Le Marrec, of Jersey Tourism, told BBC News Online the scheme was working well.

"It's deterred a lot of motorists from using these lanes at all. They're just avoiding them.

"We're getting more tourists who are attracted by the peace they can find on the roads here, people like ramblers and cyclists, and many of them coming from outside the UK.

"And pedestrians are becoming bolder. People don't walk along the sides of the lanes now, but in the middle.