Community Speed Watch volunteers needed

VOLUNTEERS are being asked to step forward to help make the town’s roads safer.

District councillor Keith Mackman is calling for residents to join the Community Speed Watch Group in Great Dunmow following the acceptance on a new site on Ongar Road to accompany those on Braintree Road and St Edmunds Lane.

“There is much talk of wanting safer roads in Great Dunmow, and the district, and Community Speed Watch is a good way for members of the public to become actively involved in achieving this,” he said.

“Insights gained from training and actually operating the equipment can be multiplied as people talk to one another about the processes, which will help to educate the population about the dangers of speeding.”

Community Speed Watch is a traffic monitoring scheme that is co-ordinated by Essex Police but run and managed by volunteers. Other schemes have been known to increase safety while reducing the number of accidents in an area.

There is no enforcement aspect to the group. Drivers who are recorded as exceeding speed limits to a particular degree have their vehicle details passed to the police – which will send a letter to the registered owner of that vehicle warning them about their driving.

“Most people will react positively to the letter and drive more carefully in future,” added Cllr Mackman.

“The benefits are clear, safer roads and no penalty points so everyone wins. The alternative is regular police enforcement of known traffic problems and that will involve penalties.”

Anyone interested in joining the group can contact PCSO Glenn Braden on 07989174801 or uttlesfordcsw@essex.pnn.police.uk