I would like to comment on the Community Speed Watch (CSW) initiative.
Whilst I applaud Jan Whitbourn, the co-ordinator, for her efforts to reduce the horrific incidence of speeding through villages in our area I would like to again express my doubts about this scheme.
As I have stated in previous correspondence, the fact that those who receive a warning letter do not go on to receive a second one does not ‘conclusively demonstrate in villages locally how speeds have been reduced’ as stated by Jan Whitbourn, it simply means they have not been recorded as speeding on a second occasion.
This could be because they have changed their route, were just ‘passing through’ on a single occasion or, far more likely, have just been lucky!
Plus the CSW teams are not in operation every day or even every week.
I am as anxious as Jan for this menace to be reduced.
In our village excess speeds of 70 or 80mph are not uncommon and we have had two recorded speeds over 100mph, one of which was around 3pm when the primary school children were coming out of school.
The only answer is for speed cameras, preferably of the average speed check variety, with stringent penalties.
Excessive speed through our villages is a blight which must be removed but I fear it will not be achieved by the CSW initiative.
Doreen Clarke
Sutton St James
