Community Speed Watch is a scheme to help people reduce speeding traffic though their community. The scheme enables volunteers to work within their community to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and to help control the problem locally.
Community Speed Watch incorporates poster campaigns and a pledge system linked to direct action using radar speed guns and Vehicle Activated Signs, all under the supervision of the County Council. The use of the radar devices will not lead to prosecution - drivers will get a letter from the police instead - but will help to underline the community’s commitment to reducing speed.
Already operating successfully elsewhere in the country, the Leicestershire and Rutland scheme was initially piloted in nine communities before being made available more widely. The County Council has already received over 200 expressions of interest.
County Councillor Nicholas Rushton, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said:
“The County Council and the police already work hard to control speeding and this scheme will complement our work. It gives communities the chance to take action to help themselves, in a controlled way which will be acceptable to all. By getting involved, people will be working to improve the quality of life in their own community.”
The scheme is a partnership between Leicestershire County Council and the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership.
For further information visit www.bealocalhero.com.
Alternatively, contact:
Mike Wilson
Community Speed Watch Co-ordinator
0116 2657336
mawilson@leics.gov.uk
Community Concern
The Safety Camera Scheme receives lots of requests from communities and individuals asking us to use camera enforcement on roads that are not approved camera sites. These are sites that have been brought to the attention of the Scheme by concerned people who fear that sooner later someone is going to get seriously hurt.
Requests can come from:
- Members of public
- Community Support Officers
- Police Officers
- Local authority Highways Depts
- MPs
- Parish Councils
When the Scheme receives such a request, the collision history of the site is investigated. In most cases the collision history does not meet the criteria for a camera site to be established. However, speeding could still be a problem on the road. At this point, the Scheme will conduct a speed survey to determine whether there is a speeding problem. If the results show evidence of poor compliance of the speed limit, the Scheme or the road traffic police can enforce at the site.