Bath MP Wera Hobhouse has praised the work of the local Community SpeedWatch Association during a visit to the quarterly meeting of scheme coordinators.
MP Wera Hobhouse and CSW coordinators at the quarterly SpeedWatch Association meeting
Community SpeedWatch (CSW) is a partnership between residents, the police and local authorities, to give people the ability to get actively involved in road safety.
The aim of the scheme is to make motorists who speed through residential neighbourhoods aware of the impact their actions can have on residents, and the danger they pose to other road users and pedestrians.
A team of locals who are willing to volunteer each week are trained and issued with speed detection equipment to monitor vehicle speeds.
Around 25 Community SpeedWatch groups operate across Bath and North East Somerset, each of them giving their time to help make the roads safer.
Last year, CSW groups across the district reported almost 12,500 vehicles driving above the speed limit to Avon & Somerset Police.
The data gathered by the groups cannot be used to track repeat offenders due to privacy regulations, but the teams have recalled stories around persistent speeders.
One such incident saw a driver detected at 79mph in a 20mph zone.
At the meeting, the group updated Mrs Hobhouse on their work under the scheme, impressing her with their commitment to keeping Bath’s roads safer for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
The MP then led a Q&A session, centred on exploring options for closer collaboration with the police and local authorities and discussing the various political avenues available to combat speeding and prioritise road safety.
Maureen Breeze, Chair of B&NES Community SpeedWatch Association, said: “It was motivating to the Community SpeedWatch scheme coordinators at our quarterly SpeedWatch Association meeting to have Wera speak and show her wholehearted support for the work we do; her input was much appreciated.
“Each of the coordinators manages a group of volunteers, who stand all year round at the roadside in their localities where speeding is a problem.
“Their presence is intended to visibly show that their communities care about the safety of everyone moving through their area, be it pedestrians, cyclists or other drivers, and encourage drivers to keep to the speed limit.
“Speeding traffic endangers our communities, but thanks to the tireless dedication of our SpeedWatch volunteers, their admirable efforts are helping to keep our roads safe.”
Wera Hobhouse commented: “It was great to attend Community SpeedWatch’s meeting and hear about the work they do to combat the plague of speeding traffic.
“Every 16 minutes someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. Not only can the work of these groups make a huge contribution to the reduction in avoidable deaths and injuries on our roads, they are a direct benefit to the resources of Avon and Somerset Police and it is so important that their work is fully appreciated.
“Community Speedwatch is a prime example of how the power of collaboration with volunteer organisations can alleviate strain on emergency services and make our roads safer for everyone.”
