Bedford Borough Councils’ Community Speedwatch Vehicle is out and about on the Borough’s streets.
Speeding is a common concern for local communities. The Council has heard those concerns and has created the ‘Speedwatch vehicle’, in partnership with Bedfordshire Police.
This van will travel around the Borough, with trained staff tracking the speed of vehicles. If a driver is speeding they will receive a warning through the post. They may also be visited by the Police, particularly if they are a repeat offender or are travelling at excessive speeds.
Mayor Dave Hodgson said “Speeding is consistently one of the biggest concerns people raise with me, in communities across the Borough. We have already introduced average speed cameras in a number of hotspot locations in response to local concerns. The Speedwatch vehicle will give us an additional, mobile means of responding to people’s concerns and will enable us to cover a wide range of locations. We will be able to send the van out, be a presence on roads across the Borough and help make those roads safer for everyone.”
Inspector Paul Ayling from the North Bedfordshire Community Policing team said: “Speed is one of the ‘fatal four’ driving offences and we urge drivers to comply with the limit. It is vital we pay attention to the speed limit and conditions and drive responsibly. Our community policing teams work alongside the Speedwatch schemes, which enables volunteers to work within their community to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and to help control the problem locally.
“We all lead busy lives and there are times when we may be in a hurry and there’s a temptation to put your foot down to make up a little bit of time. We want all motorists to be aware that the speed limit on a road is just that, a limit not a target, so to drive sensibly for the road conditions they face. The consequences of speeding can be deadly so drivers need to take care on the roads all year round.”
