A NEW scheme for residents to monitor speeding vehicles in their communities is being rolled out across the county.

Community Speed Watch will run in conjunction with the Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership to give local people the chance to get involved in road safety.

Groups of residents who are willing to volunteer a small amount of time each week can monitor vehicles using speed detection equipment.

Insp Martyn Sweett from Amesbury Police briefed members of Amesbury Area Board last night about the scheme.

“Speeding often is raised as an issue within very many communities and it is something that we address and take enforcement action against on a regular basis,” he said.

“I think this is possibly quite a good development if we get this right. It is not just a police development, it is a partnership, and I think there should be some improvements seen on the streets out there.”

To get a scheme up and running, a group of at least six residents must apply through their area board and identify a potential area, which will then be checked for health and safety issues and have speed monitoring strips put in place for seven days.

Once approved, volunteers will be trained and suitable times and places for checks will be identified.

Insp Sweett explained the cameras are different to the police speed cameras, as they are slightly smaller and don’t track registration numbers – the residents will have to note those down.

That information will be passed on to the community watch co-ordinator, who will make checks on the Police National Computer and send a warning letter to the registered keeper.

If persistent speeders are identified, police will go out with official speed cameras and will prosecute them if they are caught.

There are already schemes organised in Larkhill, Durrington and Bulford, as well as one being planned for London Road in Amesbury.

“It’s fairly straightforward, fairly easy to run and there is good evidence out there that it does work,” said Insp Sweett.

“We have made some fairly good progress here in the Amesbury board area and we should start seeing the benefits of that in due course.”