SafeCam and Community Speedwatch
Community Speedwatch
The Community Speed Watch initiative allows members of the community to address the issue of speeding by becoming actively involved in road safety, monitoring speeds at safe locations with speed detection equipment.
It addresses the problem of speeding through the joint work of the police, local community, parish councils and other partners.
The aim is not to catch as many speeding drivers as possible but to reduce speed in areas of concern.
Community Speed Watch informs drivers that excessive speed is socially unacceptable and helps to re-educate drivers about the dangers of speeding while addressing concerns from local residents about cars speeding through their neighbourhoods.
Police forces across the country implementing the initiative can show a reduction in overall average speeds, and a significant reduction in drivers travelling well above the speed limit, which highlights the benefits of the scheme.
How it works:
- Trained volunteers verify and record the registration numbers of offending vehicles.
- These details are forwarded to Suffolk Police who will send offenders a letter.
- A maximum of two letters will be sent to offenders.
- Persistent offenders may be targeted for police enforcement.
- Follow-up work on education and enforcement by Suffolk Police and our partners will also take place when appropriate.
- If you require further information about the scheme, please visit www.suffolk.police.uk
Ten mobile, tripod-mounted, signs have been loaned to 30 Community Speedwatch groups around the county. The signs are used to enhance their existing Speedwatch activities. A group will have a sign for three to four weeks and then pass it on to their neighbouring group.
Community Speedwatch co-ordinators wishing to learn more about the scheme, please contact communityspeedwatch@suffolk.police.uk
Suffolk SafeCam
Suffolk SafeCam operates a number of mobile enforcement vehicles, which are deployed across the county of Suffolk.
Since its introduction in 2003, the Suffolk Safety Camera operation has contributed to the reduction of road casualties and collisions throughout the county.
Proactive speed enforcement only takes place in Suffolk at locations or stretches of road where there is an on-going risk of collisions, based on collision data at each site over the past five years – or where there have been substantiated complaints from local people.
As well as mobile enforcement vehicles, Suffolk has two operational fixed camera sites - on the A140 at Coddenham and A12 at Benhall – which protect cross-over junctions on two busy stretches of road.
Locations where proactive speed enforcement takes place will be reviewed regularly by senior officers and are displayed weekly at www.suffolk.police.uk
The Community Enforcement Officer’s role will be to visit those more rural locations across Suffolk where data has shown there are accident or speeding issues – the aim of the officer is to prevent speeding by enforcement – thus making the roads safer.
Requests for the officer/van will be taken to a monthly tasking group where deployment is decided upon by priority – based on data and or specific requests from local parish councils/communities.
To contact the Community Enforcement Officers, email: SafetyCameraTeam@suffolk.police.uk