Lib Dem Councillors launch speed watch group to tackle speeding in Wisbech St Mary, Guyhirn, Murrow, Parson Drove and Thorney Toll

Two village councillors are tackling the issue of speeding by setting up a Community Speed Watch group.

Lib Dems, Sarah Bligh and Gavin Booth, who represent he villages of Guyhirn, Murrow, Parson Drove, Thorney Toll and Wisbech St Mary, explained the move was in response to local concerns.

They said: "One of the most frequent complaints to us councillors is about vehicles speeding through our villages. We receive a very high volume of through traffic particularly when incidents occur on the A47 and traffic is diverted onto our local roads. It has become intolerable and a Community Speed Watch (CSW) has been established, helped and endorsed by the Cambridgeshire Constabulary and with the support of the parish councils."

Coun Booth is the primary co-ordinator as he has previous experience and was acquainted with the CSW police representative.

Coun Bligh designed promotional and advertising material and the very distinctive local CSW logo.

Ward resident Diane Cutler, who has been a keen supporter in the ward for other schemes and projects, volunteered to assist co-ordinating the local group.

She has organised training sessions with the CSW local area co-ordinator and operational CSW sessions with volunteers trained and authenticated by the Cambridgeshire Constabulary scheme.

Couns Booth and Bligh, both contribute, as trained volunteers, to the operational sessions. Training sessions continue and are arranged with the local area co-ordinator as required.

Mrs Cutler organises teams from the trained volunteers and deploys them in one hour active sessions in planned and approved locations around the ward.

Couns Bligh and Booth said there has been an encouragingly positive response from residents willing to receive training and become CSW volunteers.

The Parson Drove and Wisbech St Mary Ward Community Speed Watch has been successfully delivered in four of the five villages of the ward.

Thorney Toll is the regrettable exception because it is sited along the A47 and the Cambridgeshire Constabulary policy does not permit CSW deployment there. CSW teams may only deploy in 30 mph and 40 mph areas.

The scheme went live following training earlier this summer and to date the statistics are: 23 sessions completed with 1,290 vehicles monitored with 10 per cent - 129 - speeding with 33 significantly over the limit.

Those drivers will be contacted by the police

Couns Booth and Bligh said: "We are determined that the Community Speed Watch will educate drivers to respect our community, slow down, keep to the speed limits and drive carefully for the safety of our residents and in particular our children.

"As ward councillors who live in the community we encourage you to get involved with the Community Speed Watch scheme and become a volunteer. Contact Diane Cutler via email csw.wsmpdward@gmail.com to volunteer for training or for further information."