Shaftesbury streets get green light for community speedwatch

A GoSafe representative attended Albany Street and Evans Street on Thursday, August 17, along with Green Party councillor for Shaftesbury Lauren James, whose appeals for speed cushions and a mobile enforcement van had been rejected.

Local reports describe a number of crashes in recent months with some vehicles getting up to motorway speeds.

Newport City Council correspondence revealed by the Argus last week showed talk of “difficult decisions” which mean they will only consider speeding measures where people have already been injured or killed due to excessive speeds.

Authorities are now "drawing up the maps" and completing risk asssessments after identifying potential speed detection spots on the visit, says Cllr James.

Community Speedwatch is a national initiative ran by GoSafe, a road safety partnership between councils, police forces and government in Wales, which sees local residents use detection devices and report speeding vehicles to the police.

Albany Street, Shaftesbury, will get a community speedwatch scheme (Image: Sam Portillo)

If there is proof of a driver consistently driving in excess of the speed limit in the area, police can use the evidence gathered through Community Speedwatch for prosecution.

If there continues to be a “persistent general speeding issue” in the area, GoSafe say the relevant agency will be contacted for road improvements.

“Speeding is rife on Albany Street in particular – someone could get hurt if this is left unchecked,” said Cllr James. “There have been several crashes in the area in recent months and it’s pure luck those haven’t resulted in serious injury. We can’t wait for someone to be killed or seriously hurt before we act.

“I’m pleased to be working with GoSafe and our neighbourhood policing team to bring a Community Speedwatch to Shaftesbury. This is proactive action we can take as a community to remind those driving dangerously in our area to slow down.”

A spokesperson for GoSafe said community volunteers will receive training, and support from neighbourhood policing teams. They said: "Drivers witnessed exceeding the speed limit are reported to the police with the aim of educating drivers to slow down.

"Following concerns being raised in Albany Street and Evans Street in Newport, we will be working with local residents to establish a CSW group. This will aim to educate the minority of drivers exceeding the speed limit and make the community safer for everyone."