Extra equipment to help volunteers drive down speeding

Further funding has been approved for new equipment to assist the Community Speed Watch (CSW), in the hope to further improve road safety.
By Ross Robertson
Published 16th Aug 2021, 14:52 BST
Volunteers from Community Speed WatchVolunteers from Community Speed Watch
Volunteers from Community Speed Watch

The Community Speed Watch have recently received funding from the National Driver Rehabilitation Scheme (NDORS) to invest in new equipment to keep roads users safe in County Durham.

After a recent review of the CSW scheme, new equipment is being invested in that will assist with reducing speeding complaints, act as a visible deterrent and allow volunteers to respond more quickly to associated speeding issues across the force area.

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The new equipment will include speed detection devices which allows volunteers to record the speed of vehicles by the roadside.

Not only encouraging drivers to slow down, any drivers caught speeding will be sent a letter from the force, and repeated offences will be referred to the Road Policing Unit for further action.

Between January 2021 and May 2021, 285 Road Traffic Collisions resulting in injury were reported to the police across County Durham.

Speeding is one of the most common causes of road accidents alongside not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone and drink and drug driving.

CSW is a community volunteer scheme operated force-wide, supported by local neighbourhood policing teams who work with the police to monitor the speed of vehicles using speed detection devices.

CSW relies on volunteers to deploy equipment to specific areas of road safety concern. The funding will allow volunteers to deploy detection equipment more frequently with its new user-friendly design, which is lighter and easy to use.

Durham Constabulary welcome new volunteers to be a part of the CSW scheme. If you would like further information, please speak to your local Neighbourhood Policing Team.

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The project also complements the recently formed Road Safety Bureau, with an emphasis on education and changing driver's behaviour.

If you have any speeding concerns in your area, please report through Keep in The Know or report anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org

You can also email the force’s Road Safety Bureau at [email protected] or report concerns through the 101 Live Chat on the Durham Constabulary website, which is available from 9am to 6pm seven days a week.

Always call 999 in an emergency.