West Country driver caught doing 79mph in 20mph zone

A motorist was caught doing a shocking 79mph in a 20mph zone. It is just one of almost 12,500 vehicles driving over the speed limit caught by Community SpeedWatch volunteers in Somerset last year.

Community SpeedWatch is a partnership between the Community, Police and Local Authorities to give local people the opportunity to get actively involved in road safety. The aim of the scheme is to make drivers speeding through residential areas aware of the impact their actions have on local residents and the danger they pose to other road users and pedestrians.

A team of local residents who are willing to volunteer each week are trained and equipped with speed detection equipment to monitor vehicle speed. Last week, Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, expressed her admiration for the work of the local SpeedWatch Association (CSW) during her attendance at their quarterly meeting of the scheme’s co-ordinators.

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Around 25 Community SpeedWatch groups operate across the B&NES, each giving up their time to improve their neighborhood and make our roads safer. Last year CSW groups in the B&NES reported almost 12,500 vehicles driving over the limit to Avon and Somerset Police.

The data collected by the groups cannot be used to track repeat offenders because of privacy regulations, but the teams report some startling stories about persistent speeders. One such incident saw a driver doing a shocking 79mph in a 20mph zone.

Maureen Breeze, President of the B&NES Community SpeedWatch Association, said: “It was motivating for the Community SpeedWatch program coordinators at our quarterly SpeedWatch Association meeting to have Wera speak and show their wholehearted support for the work we do; her input was greatly appreciated. Each of the coordinators leads a group of volunteers, who sit year-round on the side of the road in their localities where speed is a problem.

Their presence is meant to visibly show that their communities care about the safety of everyone who travels through their area, be it pedestrians, cyclists or other drivers, and to encourage drivers to obey the speed limit. Speeding traffic puts our communities at risk, but thanks to the tireless dedication of our SpeedWatch volunteers, their admirable efforts help keep our roads safe.”

Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, added: “It was great to attend the Community SpeedWatch meeting and hear about the work they are doing to tackle the scourge of speeding. 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 reducing the number of avoidable deaths and injuries on our roads, it is a direct benefit to Avon and Somerset Police resources and it is so important that their work is fully appreciated.

“Community Speedwatch is a great example of how the power of working with voluntary organizations can ease the pressure on emergency services and make our roads safer for everyone.”