Speeding still a concern in Frome

AVON and Somerset Police inspector Mark Nicholson, in conjunction with the Community Speed Watch teams, reports on the latest  speeding figures and associated news. 

Inspector Mark Nicholson said, “Throughout the Mendip area, our communities continue to tell us that one of their main concerns is that of speeding motorists and general road safety.

“The Police in Mendip continue to address this  through enforcement using local officers, their colleagues on the road traffic department, and through the use of the safety camera van.

“Community Speed Watch remains  the educational arm of our relentless drive to improve road safety, and continues to grow from strength to strength across the district and beyond. The teams, which are fully staffed by volunteers, have the full support of the police crime commissioner, and are now fully embedded into the wider policing.

“Community Speed Watch report that the total number of warning letters sent out to motorists in 2013 was 1,245 within the Frome area, against 1,522 in 2011; a reduction of 19%, which is good news indeed. Also there were no reported major accidents or deaths again, very good news.

“Those motorists who have received multiple warning letters are now being visited by the Police for advice on their driving, and warned that speeding is a serious matter, and the attention paid to it by the Police, speed enforcement unit and CSW is not just a short term operation but is here to stay, and in fact the speed checking areas are being increased such is the seriousness of driving with excess speed. Safety camera van visits are planned to increase within the Frome area in 2014.

“The  safety camera van figures over an 18 month period show  that some 2,630 motorists were reported for prosecution within the Frome area, an alarming figure which shows very little sign of slowing down. In the three month period, October-December 2013, over 675 motorists were reported for prosecution, an increase of 46% over the previous period; an alarming and most disappointing increase.”

Ashley Reay from Community Speed Watch  recently said, ‘We really cannot understand why figures for speeding in total continue to rise when so  much publicity has been given and vast amounts of money paid in fines. All of this is easily avoided by simply slowing down just a little. We will however continue with our operations knowing that each time we do so, we could be potentially be saving a life.”

If anybody has an interest in either setting up a scheme or to join an existing one, please contact Inspector Mark Nicholson at Avon and Somerset Police by telephoning Frome police station by dialling 101 .