Towcester Community Speed Watch Volunteer

Motorists who speed through residential neighborhood's are often unaware of the impact of their actions on other road users or the dangers they pose. Speed checks show that drivers exceeding the speed limit are often local to the town, village or surrounding area.

Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) Located around Towcester record an average of 3879 vehicles exceeding the national speed limits per week.

Community Speed Watch is an initiative, working with the police, which sees fully trained local residents using speed detection devices to monitor vehicles travelling through their towns and villages on roads with limits of 20, 30 and 40mph.  In 2024, Towcester Community Speed Watch (TCSW) carried out 25 sessions over one month. 146 vehicles were logged and notified to the Police..

Traffic Survey Reports showed the percentage for vehicles exceeding the national speed limits fell from 13% to 9% after the campaigns.

The Safer Roads Operations Manager at Northamptonshire Police has stated: “Our volunteers are passionate about improving road safety within their local communities, and their dedication and commitment makes a real difference. They do a fantastic job not only providing invaluable data but also helping to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and educating drivers on the importance of sticking to the speed limit. Speeding, along with drink/drug driving, seatbelt and mobile phone use, makes up the fatal four offences, which are often recorded as a contributory factors in road collisions in the county. “The Community Speed Watch programme is a great way for the local community to support the countywide effort to make our roads safer and is a more effective and efficient way of delivering road safety.”

Skills

No Skills required just being able to work as part of a volunteer team