The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
SpeedWatch roll-out push
FUNDING IS being sought to roll out a scheme that aims to help communities throughout Perth and Kinross take a lead role in improving road safety.
Community Speed Watch enables local people to take to their own streets to act as a high-profile deterrent to speeding and dangerous driving.
The Speed Watch scheme was introduced to the region for the first time early last year — having already seen extensive use in Fife — in light of growing concerns over safety on the A977.
An increasingly heavy volume of traffic— including hundreds of lorries each week — travels along the route between the Kincardine and Clackmannanshire Bridges and the M90 motorway.
A pilot project offered Fossoway and District Community Council an opportunity to work with the police in a bid to save lives.
During the 12-week trial, trained volunteers used “speed guns” to carry out checks on theA977, in a bid to make drivers slow down.
They believed their efforts had been successful, only for police chiefs to pull the plug, but Chief Inspector Mike Whitford has since backed its revival.
Councillors across the region are now working to secure the money needed to bring it to streets in their wards.
The first step could be to appoint a full-time member of staff to oversee an extended pilot in 2014 and talks are ongoing between Police Scotland, Perth and Kinross councillors and the local authority’s community safety committee to secure the funding needed.
Councillor Willie Wilson, who represents Perth City South, said: “It is essential that we find the funding needed to allow an extended trial of a Community Speed Watch to take place in a number of areas in Perth and Kinross.
“One of the main issues for all elected members is speeding traff ic, and involving local communities in monitoring and reporting speeding would be a major step forward.
“This could be really good news for them.”
He added: “If Community Speed Watch is to work at all, it needs a partnership approach between Police Scotland, the council and communities.
“We are very grateful for the commitment made by Police Scotland to look seriously at its introduction in Perth and Kinross.
“This would need to be, in practical terms, done on a phased basis and, therefore, the funding for the support post involved, which would be a council responsibility, could also be phased.”
It is hoped that an extended trial would enable the council, working closely with Police Scotland, to secure a bigger database of evidence to show that Speed Watch really works.
Councillor Willie Robertson, who represents Kinross-shire, is also pursuing the scheme’s expansion and recently joined Mr Wilson in a meeting with community safety convener Douglas Pover to discuss the issue.
He said: “We received a good response from the convener on the subject.
“He understands the issues and expressed a keen interest in taking matters forward.
“We will continue to press for the matter to be addressed and are determined to progress this scheme.”
The councillors are hopeful that the issue can be discussed more widely by the council in the coming weeks.