Community group catch speeding vehicles to tackle dangerous driving

Community Roadwatch team in action. Pic: TfL

A Croydon community group are tackling dangerous driving by working with TfL to issue warnings to drivers speeding in residential areas.

Volunteers caught over 4,000 vehicles speeding last year and fewer than two percent of cases reoffended.

In partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service, The Community Roadwatch team use speed detection equipment alongside a PCSO to monitor the speed of vehicles.

Community Roadwatch team. Pic: TfL

Warning letters are first sent to drivers caught speeding, then if a vehicle is recorded for again, details are entered into a Criminal Justice database.

Steve Burton, Director of Compliance and Policing at TfL said:“Community Roadwatch gives local residents the opportunity to work side by side with their local police teams to make a real impact in their community and we’re delighted to see such positive results.”

The scheme was launched in Bexley and Croydon in August 2015 and has since been taken on by 14 other boroughs. Croydon held 70 Community Roadwatch sessions last year with the aim to reduce the high number of traffic collisions in the borough.

Despite the scheme proving to be successful, Croydon had the highest number of road traffic collisions attended by the London Fire Brigade out of all London boroughs in 2016/2017 with 265 accidents compared to 175 in Lewisham, 139 in Tower Hamlets and 97 in Hackney.

Road traffic accidents attended by London Fire Brigade 2013-2017

Road traffic accidents attended by London Fire Brigade 2013-2017.

Burton said: “We’re cracking down on dangerous drivers who put themselves and other road users at risk by enforcing offences such as speeding, using mobile phones or dangerous driving.”

Vision Zero, an approach to reduce road danger, is being funded alongside Community Roadwatch. This involves TfL making safety improvements at junctions, implementing more 20mph speed limits, and promoting better vehicle design.

Croydon council began to apply the slower speed in 2016 by dividing the borough into five areas. Eventually, all residential roads will introduce the 20mph speed limit as part of a long-term plan.

The South-East corner of Croydon became the latest area to adopt the new proposal on January 13.  According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the slower vehicle speed of 20mph reduces the risk of pedestrians and other drivers being injured in a collision.

Both schemes aim to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by vehicles. TfL encourages residents to take part in Community Roadwatch to raise awareness of speeding and improve public confidence in TfL’s efforts to cut down speed offences.

Shane Godwin, a local volunteer in Croydon said: “Taking part has made me realise just how big a problem speeding is in Croydon and I’m proud of our work to raise awareness and make our neighbourhood safer.”

One Response

  1. Azucena March 12, 2018

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