Taking steps to help communities tackle speeding
PERSISTENT speeding is a big problem around the county.
I promised I would do something about this issue and can now launch our ground-breaking strategic solution.
Working closely with the constabulary and county Highways, we have revamped the community speed watch scheme to better empower those wishing to tackle persistent speeding.
The solution we have come up with involves the whole community and has been created to conform with data protection rules and the requirements of the surveillance camera commissioner.
Parish councils simply need to purchase community speed watch cameras, ranging from a few hundred pounds to about £10,000 (depending on the functionality required), and seek permission from Highways to deploy them on suitable lampposts.
I am working with the county council to make this process as streamlined as possible and we will also deploy specially designed warning signs.
If parish councils struggle to find the money, they could approach their county councillor’s Highways Local or community Build Back Better funding pots (I have also contributed to schemes in my Commissioner’s Fund).
These cameras will then send photos and data on speeding motorists to the police, who will then send out a series of automated warning letters, specially written to encourage behavioural change and conformance with local speed limits.
Those who still choose to speed will then be targeted by the deployment of police enforcement vans or officers on foot, deploying at the time and location persistent speeders tend to offend, leading to fines.
This trailblazing process is the first of its type in the country.
The initial pilot schemes will be asked if they wish to participate in an academic study to help gather evidence on the effectiveness of community speed watch initiatives. This should help us refine the process.
I am hopeful though that we have a solution that will prove to be very popular with communities that have been blighted by problem speeding and passed from pillar to post for far too long.
Our launch webinar event received universal support from attendees, many of whom have been trying to find a solution for years (contact john.lynchwarden@gloucestershire.police.uk for details of the scheme).
By working together, using modern, low-cost technology, employing procedural justice that is fair and behaviour changing, this approach should make a real difference across our county and improve safety within communities.