'We're watching you', villagers warn speeding drivers

On patrol: PCSO Glyn Lewis shows Speed Watch members how to use their radar guns

RESIDENTS in Dronfield have joined forces with police to tackle motorists speeding through their 20mph village centre.

Published Date: 23 January 2010 By Nick Ward (see article here)

Questionnaire (paper & electronic) – Stats

After a very brief campaign meeting this week, it was agreed that the next step should be to distribute a paper based questionnaire throughout the village, gauging as many parishioners views as possible, with reference to the traffic issues.
Once the questionnaires have been drafted and approved, they will be delivered, along with an explanatory flyer and a template letter to be sent on to the authorities by individuals.

We hope to hold at least one open meeting on the subject (when questionnaires can be returned), before April.

By my calculations, based on the Stats counter, the site has been well visited, receiving an average of 8 unique visitors per day. However, I should like to encourage all visitors to vote in the online poll and leave comments, this currently being the most effective way of measuring support.

Meddling with the Blogosphere & some useful information

Meddling
Following a request from a reader of this blog, I attempted to change the wording of the poll from “Which of the following options do you support to help the speeding traffic problem through Frithelstock” to the current heading. Having successfully completed this task, I inadvertently wiped clean the previous votes! – sorry. However, whilst contemplating the task (and my IT ability), I had the foresight to record the results before undertaking site maintenance.

As of today the results were:
Traffic calming measures – 2
Speed reduction signs – 7
Speed cameras – 3
Total votes - 12

I assumed that I could log on to the blog page 12 times, and restore the status quo. This is actually quite impossible, and the Blogger site recognises gerrymandering!
Therefore, I propose to add the votes (recorded above) to the final results, before the PC meeting of March 2nd, and the Parish Council Annual Meeting in April?
Finally, please forward the link to this blog to other residents, and ask them to vote!


Useful information
A police presence, recording traffic, has been reported in Frithelstock! A small victory or just coincidence?
Also, the clerk to the Parish Council has received notice that DCC are holding a highway maintenance surgery on:
Wednesday 10th February 2010, 10am -12pm
At The Clinton Hall, Merton
The consultation is in order for members of the Parish Council to meet with highway maintenance and traffic staff, with a view to discuss future programmes of work, ongoing issues or any defects needing further attention.

I will email the clerk, and contact the chair of the PC with a view to representation at the event.

Interesting reading & next steps

Browsing the internet this evening, I came across some potentially useful websites, offering advice and guidance for a community based speed watch scheme.
The best of these initiatives seems to be a partnership in Leicester between Leicestershire County Council and the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership (click here to view). Essentially it is a police-sponsored scheme in which volunteers monitor traffic, using laser speed meters. The police provide a risk assessment, training and insurance. Speeding drivers are reported to the police, who send warning letters and then target repeat offenders for prosecution (only the police can actually book a driver for an offence).

As an advocate of direct action, this arrangement interests me. However, I could find no evidence of any similar project in Devon!

Next steps for the campaign.

• Encourage support for campaign via this blog (become a follower)
• Draft a petition for distribution around the village
• Organise contacts list of who should be lobbied
• Read through the following links!

http://www.speedorsafety.com/community-speed-watch/
http://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/Traffic/SpeedWatch/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.dcsafetycameras.org/index.aspx
http://www.brake.org.uk/
http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/transportroads/roads/road_safety/countrymile.htm
http://www.dft.gov.uk/think/
http://www.rospa.co.uk/

Frithelstock Traffic Speed Watch

Home page & most recent posts:CLICK HERE


Who we are - A group of Frithelstock residents who wish to reduce the speed of traffic passing through the village by:

• lobbying for effective traffic calming and speed limit enforcement
• promoting the adoption of new solutions to traffic speed problems
• helping in the implementation of schemes to reduce traffic speedmonitoring speed through our village

Where are we - Frithelstock is a small parish, within the Torridge local authority. Speeding occurs throughout the village, but specifically along the A388 to and from Monkleigh / Stibb Cross and from the A386 Torrington Road

Excessive speed of traffic is possibly the most serious and emotive day-to-day problem in Frithelstock. Speeding traffic not only poses a risk to life and limb, but intimidates residents on their own streets, in their own houses and disrupts the community by making it difficult to walk around freely, particularly if you are elderly, infirm or young. Despite the importance attached to traffic problems by residents, it has proved almost impossible to get effective action from the responsible authorities. This blog is set up as a direct result of a serious accident involving a family in our village.

The initial aim of this blog is to:

• encourage community participation and support for the campaign
• offer a forum for discussion and feedback
• raise awareness of the issues in respect of speeding traffic through the village

Please leave your thoughts or comments!