Community Speed Watch in King’s Sutton

Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?

Motorists who speed through residential neighbourhoods are often unaware of the impact their actions have on other road users or the dangers they pose. Speed checks show that drivers exceeding the speed limit are often local to the village or surrounding area.

Community Speed Watch is a partnership initiative, using the combined efforts of local residents and parish councils. By working together, Community Speed Watch enables local people to become actively involved in helping to slow down traffic in 30mph zones within their community.

The aims of Community Speed Watch

• To reduce excessive speed in Northamptonshire parishes within 30mph limits
• To change people’s attitudes towards speeding
• To create a safer environment
• To empower communities to work together in partnership with road safety agencies

The benefits King’s Sutton residents receive

• Increased awareness of the dangers of speeding
• Loan of a hand-held speed gun for use by trained members of the Community Speed Watch team
• Comprehensive equipment and safety training, site assessments, high visibility clothing, insurance cover and publicity materials
• High visibility Community Speed Watch poster boards to put up on lamp-posts/trees
• Regular follow-up visits and continued support from Northamptonshire Police
• Follow-up support using portable speed indicator devices and vehicle activated signs
• Feedback of all recorded data to form an evidence base to support any potential future funding applications
• A safer environment and an empowered community

How Community Speed Watch works

• We need a minimum of 10 volunteers who are willing to be trained to monitor traffic in King’s Sutton with one person nominated as the co-ordinator. The more local residents taking part, the easier it gets for everyone to do their bit.
• Volunteer contact details are sent to Northamptonshire Police.
• Northamptonshire Police notify our Community Speed Watch co-ordinator of the provisional timetable allocation and village pairing.
• Data boxes are set up to monitor the general speed of traffic and produce data on the average speeds.
• All volunteers are trained by Northamptonshire Police in the use of laser speed guns, health and safety issues and data recording. This also ensures that they’re covered by relevant insurance.
• Northamptonshire Police delivers the equipment to the co-ordinator and the parish has the speed gun equipment for a total of three weeks over a six-week period, sharing with their paired village.
• Volunteers fill in monitoring sheets with details of speeding vehicles and send them to Northamptonshire Police.
• Northamptonshire Police check the motorists’ details and send warning letters out to drivers who were speeding.
• A range of follow-up support activities are provided, including speed indicator devices, vehicle activated signs and Police enforcement.

Speeding is a serious issue for Northamptonshire’s parishes but it is not an inevitable one. Community Speed Watch is a positive and proactive way in which local residents can work together to tackle this important issue. For details of how you can help monitor traffic speeds in King’s Sutton as part of the Community Speed Watch team, please call Cllr Michael Bailey on 01295 816911 today or email him by using the online form at the link below.

Click here to contact the Parish Council’s Community Speedwatch co-ordinator Michael Bailey by email.