More Volunteers Always Welcome!

Messages of support for the Community Speed Watch 

“I fully support the work that the volunteers from the village are doing and hopefully their presence will have a permanent effect on speeding traffic over a period of time”.

Cathy Bakewell – County Councillor 

"This is an excellent initiative, which will help to make all of us think carefully before driving too fast through villages such as East Chinnock. People are inclined to think of the A30 as a road on which they can drive quite fast, but we must all think of local residents and pedestrians and keep to the speed limits. Seeing regular speed monitoring in this area will make people think twice and slow down - and that is good news for road safety and for the people of the village."

David Laws M.P.

 
"Speed watch is an effective way of reminding all car drivers, including myself, that the first priority for motorists is the welfare and safety of the pedestrians within our communities and I am delighted that we now have a scheme in my own village. It provides a good wake up call to drivers and enables frequent and persistent offenders to be targeted by the Police. As an accident prevention measure it is of proven effectiveness and will undoubtedly increase safety on the A30 which has not got a good track record in this area.”

Ric Pallister - Deputy Leader
South Somerset District Council

 Latest Progress Report

All volunteers need to be trained before the Group can start operating. 

A Message from the Co-ordinator

"At the meeting on the 22nd November in the Village Hall, it was decided that enough volunteers had come forward to make an East Chinnock Community Speed Watch group viable.  

Three sites have been identified along the A30:

• the lay-by below New Buildings
• the Village Hall and
• the lay-by opposite Bridge Farm.

A fourth possibility will be considered - at the top of Chinnock Hollow.  

These will be inspected in due course by the Avon & Somerset Constabulary's Road Policing Unit so that they can be checked for their suitability for Community Speed Watch group members to use.  

Speed checks are carried out:

• ONLY in good weather
• ONLY during daylight hours and
• ONLY at police-approved locations

Each session lasts about one hour and can be conducted by two volunteers working together (although, obviously, the more the merrier!) Fluorescent yellow jackets, the speed-reading meters and other items of equipment are loaned free of charge. All that is needed is sufficient people from the village prepared to give up a little of their spare time.

The organisers of Community Speed Watch schemes say that if a group can go out once a week, they will make a difference. If they can go out twice a week, they will make a significant difference and if they can go out three times a week, then speeds will really drop. Apparently some groups maintain this sort of effort and are extremely successful, while others go out once or twice a month and consider that sufficient to achieve the desired effect. Only time and experience will tell which is best for East Chinnock.

The people of Odcombe are also interested in setting up a Community Speed Watch and it is hoped to arrange a joint training session, either late December or early in January.

What we now need is for as many people as possible to volunteer and to receive training, so that the load is spread as lightly as possible. Actual times and frequency of sessions can be decided amongst those who actually volunteer. Once we establish a schedule of sessions, we will be supported at regular intervals by the Road Policing Unit and our local Police Community Support Officer, Dave Lewis, and his colleagues.

Would anyone who is interested in doing something to improve the quality of life in East Chinnock please let me know. 

Either drop a note through the door of No. 6, Portman Court, or ring me on 07870 279344."

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