Father fights council over his fake camera to stop speeders
A FATHER has built a fake speed camera to stop daytrippers hurtling through his village at more than 50mph.
Chris Fawcett took matters into his own hands after motorists began using the roads as a shortcut to nearby Stonehenge.
Villagers say traffic got worse two years ago when a redesign of the Stonehenge visitors’ centre closed a key road and sat-navs took drivers through Shrewton, Wiltshire, which has a 30mph speed limit.
Mr Fawcett first built a wooden dummy last year to fool drivers into slowing but vandals burnt it down. And he removed a second after Wiltshire Council said the camera was on its land and threatened legal action.
But, undeterred, the 50-year-old has now made a steel box with a video camera.
Mr Fawcett has attached it to a neighbour’s tree so it is harder for the council to object. He said: ‘It is extremely important. These little village roads now are terrible for speeding. And the volume of traffic nowadays, it is horrendous. It is a service for the village.’
The father of seven said he could not understand why his camera concerned Wiltshire Council, adding: ‘If someone is doing good surely it should be praised not put down? But it is not the praise I am after, it is just that something needs to be done.’
The speeding became a problem after the £27million Stonehenge redevelopment in 2013 closed the A334 and diverted traffic on to the A303. But sat-navs are now taking drivers away from the A303 and through Shrewton.
The fake camera – with a £20 steel box painted yellow – has been up for two weeks. It has a £30 dashboard camera which cannot record speeds but footage of erratic driving could be given to police. There is a mirror that reflects headlights, showing drivers a flash.
Mr Fawcett said the council asked him to take the camera down last week but he refused.
Speed cameras in Wiltshire were switched off five years ago amid budget cuts.
Janice Hassett, of the Stonehenge Traffic Action Group, said that it was now common to find drivers reaching speeds of 56mph as they passed through Shrewton.
She welcomed Mr Fawcett’s DIY speed camera, adding: ‘It might make a difference.’
A council spokesman said fears over speeding should be raised with the parish council. Wiltshire Police urged villagers to start a Community Speed Watch team where volunteers can clock speeding drivers, who would then be sent a warning letter by police.