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.