Smile... you’re on Speed Watch (From Swindon Advertiser)

Smile... you’re on Speed Watch

9:00pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in News By Matthew Edwards

Volunteer Gerry Eagles with community safety officer Lara Hill. Picture: STUART HARRISON l Buy this picture at swindonadvertiser.co.uk/saphotosales

A GROUP of villagers are doing their bit to keep the roads in their community safe.

Blunsdon residents have set up a Community Speed Watch scheme, which they hope will make drivers think about their speed on roads in the village.

Seven volunteers will spend an amount of time each week monitoring speeds with handheld speed detection equipment following training by police officers.

Volunteer Brian Chapman, 65, said: “We are just concerned villagers looking to address the problem of speeding in the village.

“I live on Broad Bush and it is a dangerous road – we have seen numerous accidents over the years.

“We are hoping to keep the traffic speed down –not to convict people, just make them aware of the speed they are doing.”

The scheme has the support of Wiltshire Police, who gave the volunteers a lesson in how to use the equipment.

Sergeant Eddie Strange said: “It is good for the community to be involved in something like this.

“We get a lot of calls regarding speeding in Blunsdon and not only does this act as a deterrent but it also allows the residents to gauge just how fast the cars are actually travelling.

“The police will be involved with the follow up, in situations where they get repeat offenders we can send out letters informing drivers.”

Community Speed Watch has been running in the Wiltshire Council area for two, but Blunsdon will be the community in Swindon to run the scheme.

Speed Watch volunteers pass on details of speeding drivers to the police, which resulted in 11,700 letters being sent out as well as 18 police cautions, six fixed penalty notices and three people being taken to court last year in Wiltshire.

The council is now looking for residents across the town who can help start similar schemes in their local areas.

Coun Colin Lovell, Swindon council cabinet member for customer services and a safer and stronger borough, said: “It is a good idea. It is nice to see the community is going to be watching their own streets.

“The police can’t be everywhere and this type of scheme offers a way for communities to deal with a safety issue in their locality.

“We would ask volunteers to come forward to give other communities across the town the chance to have something similar.”