4 minute read
CSWV are they enforceable?
Can community speed watch volunteers really give drivers a speeding ticket?
This week we had a call from a reader who received a letter in the post dated June 2021 regarding a speeding accusation, he asked us if we could do some research about CSWV and are they enforceable by law. Well here we go.
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Community speed watch volunteers carry out a role in helping the fight against dangerous drivers who speed in residential areas, but what powers do they have? Here’s all you need to know.
What is community speed watch?
This is a scheme that allows volunteers to monitor the speed of vehicles passing through their community.
How do community speed watch volunteers monitor the speed of drivers?
Volunteers use hand-held devices that tell them the speed at which drivers are travelling through their ‘patch’. When a driver is going a set amount above the speed limit – typically around 10% – the vehicle’s registration, make, model and colour are recorded.
What happens to the details then?
A spreadsheet of the offenders’ details is then passed to the local police force, who are likely to also add them to a national database.
Will the driver get a ticket?
These schemes are predominantly about education, meaning no speeding tickets will be issued. Additionally, most schemes use equipment that is not of the correct specification, so issuing a penalty would not be possible on a legal footing. 20
So what’s the point, if tickets can’t be issued?
While penalties can’t be issued, officers will act if speed watch volunteers repeatedly report a vehicle to the cops. Each force is different, but, typically, police will act after two reports of a vehicle speeding In such a case the owner of the vehicle will be sent an official letter reminding them of the law. If three letters are sent, the force will carry out further investigation.
What if a driver is caught driving at excessive speed?
Most of the community speed watch activity will take place in residential areas, with speed limits of 30-40mph, so driving at excessive speed is a serious offence. If a vehicle is reported for such an ‘offence’ the local police force is likely to take the case further with a ‘strongly-worded’ letter. Prosecution will not be possible from the speed watch team’s recording.
Will that mean motorists who drive excessively fast will get away with it?
No. Many forces say they will actively ‘target’ repeat offenders for ‘enforcement’. Make sure you’re up to date with the new speeding fines that came into force April 2017
When and where can the speed watch volunteers operate?
The volunteers must operate in a location that has been approved by the police. They must also only operate during daylight hours.
New community group for all ages and backgrounds launching in Bristol
Leading housing association Sovereign has given £1,010 funding to support the launch of a new community inclusion group in Bristol.
Safe Space, created by Sovereign’s Youth Panel member Jess, launches at Easton Community Centre on Tuesday 7 September, from 2.30pm-4.30pm and is open to people of all ages and backgrounds living in the area.
Together, the group will organise fun activities, including a range of arts and crafts, board games, "Taskmaster"-type challenges adapted from the TV show, cooking and baking.
Jess said: “According to the Office for National Statistics, levels of loneliness in Great Britain have increased, with 7.2% of people surveyed between October 2020 and February 2021 saying they felt lonely “often” or “always”. “I realised there are a lot of people out there who have been really isolated, especially following the pandemic. Safe Space is somewhere anyone can come along to, to find friendly faces and a bit of community compassion.
“The community centre is fully accessible and people can come for as little as ten minutes or as long as the whole session.”
Daisy Mummery, Sovereign’s Community Development Officer, added: “It's been great working with Jess to develop her idea to start up Safe Space.
“I'm excited to see where Safe Space goes in the future. Jess is a huge asset to Sovereign’s youth panel and the whole community.”
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