Speeding motorist caught travelling at double the limit

Volunteers get a boost as new device bought

A driver who was caught doing almost twice the speed limit is one of a growing number ignoring restrictions on Tenterden’s roads.

The town’s Speedwatch co-ordinator Ros Debling says the motorist received a police visit after travelling at 57mph in Ashford Road, St Michaels, where the limit is 30mph.

Mrs Debling was speaking after Tenterden Town Council signed off on the purchase of a second Speed Indicator Device (SID) after learning that a shock 147 vehicles were caught exceeding the speed limit in Tenterden in one month.

She said: “Unfortunately because there are not enough police around to carry out regular patrols some drivers think they can go at what speed they like.

“The driver who travelled at 57mph was very quickly visited by a uniformed police officer and handed a letter pointing out the error of their ways and the letter does not preclude further action by the police.”

There are seven Speedwatch sites in Tenterden, four in Ashford Road; two in Woodchurch Road and one in Smallhythe Road.

The 20-strong Speedwatch volunteer force are the eyes and ears of the police when it comes to checks on speeding drivers and Mrs Debling said the increasing volume of traffic in Tenterden is adding to the problems.

“During one hour 603 vehicles were recorded travelling in just one direction in St Michaels,” she said.

New housing developments in Tenterden will put more cars on the roads, added the Speedwatch co-ordinator, who would like to see new members setting up schemes in their own areas.

“People say to us ‘why don’t you set up Speedwatch in the high street?’ and we would like others to join us to protect their little communities,” Mrs Debling said.

The town council’s external committee agreed this month to spend £2,145 on the purchase of the new SID after learning that in June alone, 147 vehicles were recorded exceeding the speed limit at the checkpoints with details being passed on to the Kent Police database.

Thanking the town council for its support, Mrs Debling said the new device would be more sophisticated than the existing unit, with the ability to capture “following drivers” behind a lead vehicle breaking the speed limit.

■ To find out about joining Tenterden Speedwatch, call 01580 762271.

One driver was caught doing almost twice the speed limit in a 30mph zone

Ros Debling of Speedwatch