SPEEDING drivers in Warwickshire are the target of community action.
Warwickshire Police has welcomed ten new Community Speed Watch (CSW) volunteer groups – taking the total in the county to 56.
The ten new groups include Wootton Wawen, Baginton, Wellesbourne, Newbold (Rugby), Henley, Tanworth, Earlswood, Radford Semele, Pillerton Priors and Hampton Lucy.
The volunteers have been taught how to calibrate and use speed detection devices to get them ready to conduct roadside speed checks in their communities.
The aim of CSW is to make the county’s roads safer, while also ensuring the safety of CSW members and the public.
Volunteers receive a comprehensive health and safety briefing to ensure they are as safe as possible while checking driver speeds on Warwickshire’s Roads.
CI Faz Chishty said “This is a huge boost for CSW in the county and the volunteers who successfully completed the course have now bolstered the numbers of CSW volunteers who will be monitoring speeds in local communities across the county.”
Chris Lewis represented Warwickshire PCC Seccombe at a recent training event.
He said: “We want less crashes and especially those that lead to death and catastrophic injury.
“Without doubt, speed kills and we need to maintain the pressure to get those who disrespect speed limits and take unnecessary risks to slow down.
“No one agency can do that on their own. It has got to be a partnership approach utilising various methods. In that respect Community Speed Watch has a vital role to play and we are grateful to the volunteers who are helping us in the mission of achieving safer roads in Warwickshire.”
Community Speedwatch is a national initiative where active members of local communities join together to monitor speeds of vehicles in their local area with support from the police. In Warwickshire each group uses the LTI Speed Lasers independently purchased by either the group itself or the local parish council.
Any vehicles found to be exceeding the speed limit are referred to Warwickshire Police and receive a letter with the aim of educating drivers to reduce their speeds.
But in cases where education is ignored and there is evidence of repeat or excessive offences, even across county borders, enforcement and prosecution follow.
Anyone interested in forming a CSW group should contact their local Safer Neighbourhood team. Visit www.warwickshire.police.uk for further details.
For more information about CSW visit www.communityspeedwatch.org
