Residents in Selsey have helped launch the town’s first Community Speedwatch to reduce vehicle speeds in the area.
Chichester District Council’s Community Warden Neil Hill has been instrumental in getting the scheme set up.
Community Speedwatch is a national initiative where residents support the police to monitor vehicle speeds in their local area. The scheme has been launched in Selsey in response to residents’ concerns about speeding vehicles in the town and rural areas, with the aim of educating drivers to slow down.
Five residents in Selsey have registered and completed their training from the police to take part in the scheme. The volunteers will be monitoring vehicle speeds in different locations around Selsey using special cameras that detect vehicle speeds and record number plates. Drivers who are caught speeding will be referred to the police.
Many towns and villages across Sussex have set up Community Speedwatch groups which have contributed to safer driving in these areas. In the last year, 26,070 speeding offence records were passed on to the local police for further action which resulted in 25,523 warning letters being sent to offending drivers.
“Speeding vehicles cause problems in many rural areas and affect the safety and quality of life of the people who live and work there,” says Councillor Eileen Lintill, Cabinet Member for Community Services at Chichester District Council. “Community Speedwatch is a great way for residents to get involved in their community and tackle this issue together.”
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service are also supporting the scheme which ties in with their current campaign to reduce vehicle speeds across the county. Four local firefighters have agreed to help get the scheme up and running and will be participating in the training.
The first Community Speedwatch group is already up and running. Community Warden Neil Hill is looking for more volunteers to join the scheme, which will allow more areas to be covered. People can contact Neil Hill on 07768 206974 or by emailing nhill@chichester.gov.uk.
People can also find out more about the Community Speedwatch scheme by visiting sussex.communityspeedwatch.org/
