Ben Fogle has described a “very, very close call” in which he was almost hit by a delivery driver on a rural road near his home in Buckinghamshire. The television presenter was running with his dog when a van sped around a blind bend and skidded to a halt just feet away.
Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Fogle called for a reduction in the speed limit on the country lane, where drivers can legally travel at 60 miles per hour. He argued that most villagers drive slowly anyway, but delivery drivers are under pressure to meet targets that rely on higher speeds.
Fogle said he does not blame the drivers but believes the system is flawed. “The problem is that these poor delivery drivers… have to hit their targets or they lose their job,” he said. He added that the road effectively serves as a pavement for villagers, and high speeds make it dangerous for pedestrians, including his children.
The local council has resisted lowering the limit, stating that the current speed is appropriate under Department for Transport guidelines and that there have been insufficient reported crashes. Fogle countered that many accidents go unreported because drivers do not admit to speeding.
Fogle noted that many communities across the UK face similar issues and expressed hope that his advocacy could bring change. He suggested that satnav algorithms should be updated to alert drivers to sensible speeds in such villages.
