What is the purpose of volunteer led community speedwatch schemes?

Work will be done to show how community speedwatch schemes can help  lower speeds in problem areas.

Community speedwatch schemes were brought up for discussion at a meeting of Powys County Council’s Economy, Residents and Communities scrutiny committee on Monday, November 29.

Cabinet member for corporate governance and regulatory services, Cllr Beverley Baynham pointed out that a cycle safety campaign, suggested by the committee back in the summer, had taken place in September and coincided with the EDWARD (Each Day Without A Road Death) campaign.

Cllr Baynham added that a seasonal road safety campaign was now being devised and would be “rolled out to the public” soon.

Committee chairman, Cllr Mathew Dorrance said that he had been on a speedwatch patrol that morning between 8.30am and 9.30am in a part of Brecon.

Cllr Dorrance said: “Its a 30-mph zone on Pendre in Brecon, cars coming through there doing in excess of 40 mph get a warning letter from Go Safe.

“How does that interface with the council’s highways team about speed calming measures to deal with the problem?

“It’s great having volunteers there with a device and high vis jacket for an hour a week but what change does that make and how does that inform our strategy?

“Because that is the gap I see at the moment,  it’s great that the volunteers are prepared to do that work, but it doesn’t lead to actual tangible change?”

Cllr Jackie Charlton said that she took part in the EDWARD campaign and that she had community speedwatch volunteers who needed training so that they could join the patrol.

Cllr Baynham said: “I have had the same issue in my ward, and I know Covid has delayed the training.”

Cllr Charlton said: “Volunteers do need training and how can we as an authority  assist supporting them.”

She believed that it was not just volunteers for speedwatch who need to have help accessing training, but a number of other programmes including flood wardens.

Ms  Smith said: “Go Safe are the people who lead on community speedwatch schemes.”

She added that she would get in touch with Go Safe to ask for training to be arranged.

Cllr Dorrance asked Ms Smith to also look into the training issues and look into where community speedwatch scheme fit into the road safety strategy.