Aldham Community Speed Watch

Aldham Community Speed Watch

To support the Parish Council in getting action on the current issues of traffic speed and noise it is vital to get as much proof as possible to make our case. We have 2 fixed speed signs in the village that record quantity and speed of the traffic but only at those points and in one direction. We need to have other areas monitored and re-establishing the Community Speed Watch in Aldham would definitely help that. We have the equipment to do this and a few volunteers to carry out the monitoring but we need more to make this happen. 8 is the minimum which we still do not have but over 12 would be ideal and the more there are, the less each one has to do. Each monitoring session is approximately one hour. The traffic will see you and will slow down, reducing speed and noise through the village.

The benefits of Community Speed Watch include (from Safer Essex Roads Partnership website):

• The opportunity for residents to increase road safety in their area, and support activities to reduce road traffic collisions and injuries.
• As Community Speed Watch volunteers are highly visible and make use of a speed detection device, it is usually clear to vehicle drivers their speed is being monitored. This may be enough deterrent for many motorists to slow down.
• The letters vehicle drivers receive as a result of exceeding the speed limit may make them continue to reduce their speeds at all times.

Volunteers

• We would need a minimum of 8 volunteers to be accepted with Community Speed Watch but over 12 to make it work well.
• For Health and Safety reasons, a minimum of three volunteers are to be present at each monitoring session. On every occasion, a mobile phone is required to be available for emergency calls.
• All volunteers participating in roadside monitoring must be aged 18 years or over. There is no maximum age limit for volunteers.
• All volunteers would be covered by insurance under the umbrella of Essex Police.
• All volunteers would have training arranged by the Community Speed Watch team run by the Safer Essex Road Partnership.

Please help by sending you name, address and contact details to Kevin Money - Parish Clerk of Aldham Parish Council via clerk [at] aldhamparishcouncil.gov.uk (subject: Community%20Speed%20Watch)   We will then put together a plan and communicate it as soon as possible to all concerned.