The local beat team have announced that a Community Speed Watch scheme is about to commence in Bradley Stoke.
The news was first revealed at last Tuesday’s Safer and Stronger Communities Group meeting and was confirmed today in an announcement on the police website.
The local police team have been looking to set up a scheme since at least June 2009 (we reported) and appealed once again for volunteers earlier this year.
The initiative has now been given the go-ahead after the requisite sixth volunteer came forward and scheme members will now be trained in the use of speed detection devices, after which they will be free to conduct speed checks around town.
Volunteers will record details of speeding vehicles and pass these to the police for action.
Any threats or intimidation towards the volunteers will be dealt with as a criminal matter, warn the police.
Anyone else interested in joining the Speed Watch is invited to get in touch with the local beat team.
Doesn’t government policy require the location of speed enforcement to be published? If that’s the case, where will the location of these 6 people be displayed (I think the Journal would be ideal).
I completed my 1st session (2 hours) yesterday and caught vehicles speeding at up to 59 mph in a 40 mph zone.
They were just outside the leisure centre yesterday (approx 50 metres from the pedestrian crossing) monitoring traffic on Bradley Stoke way coming from Aztec West.
@Andy – The Police don’t have to disclose the location as this is a community ‘Speed Watch’ and has no powers to fine drivers for speeding. All what will happen is the driver will receive a warning from the Police about their speeding.
All official Police camera sites where drivers face prosecution have to be declared, and are listed on this website – http://www.safecam.org.uk/CameraSites/
There were also 3 fluorescent-jacketed pretend plods on the hill going up to Winterbourne last Wednesday evening just after the transition from the 40 to 30 zone, one equipped with his radar gun, another with her clipboard and a third doing nothing discernible.
As the volunteers, no matter how well meaning they may be have no legal powers and the end result is only a warning carrying no legal weight as it would get shot down in any court what exactly is the point? If there is a problem with speeding why aren’t the police doing something proactive about it?
“Any threats or intimidation towards the volunteers will be dealt with as a criminal matter, warn the police.”
Driver fined after making offensive gestures to Speed Watch volunteers
You have been warned!