A new initiative introduced by the Wiltshire Police Criminal Justice Department has committed a dedicated resource to support Community Speed Watch Volunteers across the Force area.
The new role of Police Community Speedwatch (CSW) Enforcement Officer will complement existing policing methods carried out by the Roads Policing Unit and Community Policing Teams. The overall aim is the further reduction of road casualties and to keep our roads safer.
This enforcement strategy aims to support communities where there are concerns around excess speed or known levels of high offending, with CSW volunteers acting to help keep their localities safe within 20mph, 30mph or 40mph speed limits.
Councillor Gary Sumner, Deputy Leader of Swindon Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Strategic Infrastructure, Transport and Planning, said: “We want to keep people safe on our roads and we are currently reviewing Swindon’s Road Safety Strategy to help us with this aim. I am sure our local Community Speed Watch teams will welcome this investment and improvements, while it will add to the range of measures we will be utilising to deliver a safer road network.”
At the present time there are around 1000 individuals actively involved in CSW in Wiltshire & Swindon with a further 3000+ subscribers to the Community Messaging CSW group.
After feedback from the CSW Volunteers’ Week last month, new roles and new state-of-the-art back office solution and Home Office approved roadside cameras have been put in place. The new kit will speed up the issue of the 15,000 - 20,000 warning letters and Notices of Intended Prosecution sent out each year.
Head of Criminal Justice for Wiltshire Police, Paul Oatway said: "This is an important investment and role to support our Communities and the Community Speed Watch schemes across Wiltshire and Swindon. We have invested in the latest, state of the art, road-side camera equipment and back-office processes to swiftly deal with enforcement and improved the system to administer the large levels of intelligence that is coming into us from the volunteers. The message is clear motorists need to treat our communities with the respect they deserve."
Additionally, this initiative has been undertaken with The Crown Prosecution Service and Her Majesty’s Court and Trial Service to speed up enforcement through the court process by a dedicated Police prosecutor for traffic related offences.
If anyone is interested in learning more about Community Speedwatch details are on the website of the Police and Crime Commissioner: https://www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk/the-pcc-and-you/get-involved/community-speedwatch/
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