Rasen volunteers speed into action

Market Rasen’s new speed watch group is up and running with volunteers out and about putting their training into action.
Mayor John Matthews and councillors June Clark and Stephen Bunney took the first patrolMayor John Matthews and councillors June Clark and Stephen Bunney took the first patrol
Mayor John Matthews and councillors June Clark and Stephen Bunney took the first patrol

The speed of vehicles coming into the town has long been a concern of the town council and local residents, with mayor 
John Matthews describing 
one road, the A631, as ‘dangerous’ and ‘horrendous’.

A total of 14 people came forward as volunteers for the speed watch group and, as 
previously reported, underwent the necessary training.

Now, with target sites registered, they are out on patrol.

Reporting at this month’s town council meeting on the first activity for the speed watch group, Coun John Matthews said: “It wasn’t very exciting, but those present did get a handful of people driving at excessive speed.

“It is something we do need to keep going.”

Market Rasen is the 50th Community Speed Watch (CSW) group in the county.

Initially, the scheme provided parishes with the opportunity to use passive and reactive warning signs to help slow vehicles down.

In October 2018, communities were offered a further solution that allowed volunteers trained by Lincolnshire Police to carry out physical speed checks, recording vehicle registrations and passing them to the Lincolnshire 
Road Safety Partnership and Lincolnshire Police to action.

Chief Constable Bill Skelly said: ”The dedication and contribution of our community speed watch volunteers is amazing.

“The average speed in areas where they operate has been reduced and this is massively supportive of our 
aim to prevent the number of people being killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“It’s great news we’ve seen the 50th CSW and I hope more parishes join the scheme, making their local areas safer and demonstrating that the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, working with their local communities, can make our roads as safe as possible.”

Across Lincolnshire, 255 parishes or communities are involved in CSW, with 50 groups actively patrolling to gather information on speeding drivers.

A total of 13,409 initial 
letters have been sent to speeding drivers, with 875 drivers having received a second letter.

A total of 140 drivers have been caught a third time and had a visit by a police officer or PCSO to give words of advice.

Steve Batchelor, Senior Manager for LRSP said: “This is about educating motorists and giving them the chance to change their behaviour.

“However, when we gain evidence of high levels of speeding we will support communities through enforcement.’