Roads without lines are 'safer'

The experiment has led to slower traffic in Wiltshire

The central white lines on roads in a Wiltshire village have been removed as part of an experiment to slow down traffic.

Urban planners say there are fewer accidents on unmarked roads because drivers are much more cautious.

Wiltshire County Council says accidents in Seend have dropped by a third and speed has dropped by an average of 5% since the lines were removed.

Traffic lights and speed bumps could also be removed, said a spokesman.

The man behind the scheme, urban design specialist, Ben Hamilton-Baillie, said: "It makes streets safer, it makes streets more civilised.

"It encourages pedestrians, drivers and others to interact using their own senses and not relying on the control of the state."

Similar schemes in Holland and Scandinavia have also reportedly led to a cut in road accidents.