Residents to police speeding motorists

Buy photos » Councillors Eric Payne, Sue Adams and Mike Gittus are making speeding vehicles a top priority in Alcester. (s)

ALCESTER residents will be able to police the town's roads with the help of new speed detection guns.

The laser speed guns, which detect how fast vehicles are travelling, will be used by concerned residents in a bid to deter speeding through the town and its surrounding area.

Alcester Town Councillors Eric Payne, Sue Adams and Mike Gittus called for the detectors from Warwickshire County Council after making problems with speeding a top priority for this year.

The scheme will work in three ways. First residents will carry out speed checks, then if vehicles are found to be speeding electric speed reduction warning signs will be put on roads.

The third stage will see prosecution of offenders by police camera enforcement teams.

Coun Gittus, who also represents Alcester on the county council, said: "This initiative will enable a resident to identify a time and location for speeding vehicles and then play a part in the screening of vehicles to identify if there is indeed a problem.

"In my experience over the last 35 years, I can categorically say that the speed of a vehicle determines the severity of injury in all road collisions."

Stan Milewski, principal road safety officer for Warwickshire County Council, said they were pleased to support the community initiative which would allow residents to take ownership of local issues.

"We hope this will be the first of many such schemes."

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