Crackdown on Seaton speeders

Vehicle speeds of up to 18mph more than the legal limit were recorded by the Community Speedwatch team in Seaton Down Hill last week.

The volunteers staged six special one-hour sessions, starting on Monday at 11.15 and ending Tuesday at 12.45 as part of National Road Safety Week.

Of the 548 vehicles monitored in the 30mph road, 87 were recorded at 35mph or more.

The highest was 48mph on three occasions, one of which nearly resulted in a cyclist being hit, says the team.

Co-ordinator Paul Allan said they were pleased with the support received from many motorists at some of the monitoring sessions.

He said: “On the first day it was apparent that drivers were making efforts to slow down and keep to the speed limit of 30mph. Many of them showed their support by waving and ‘thumbs up’.

However, the second day reverted to normal. After an unusual, quiet early morning session, the last two sessions produced some of the highest speeds and nearly 50 recorded at over 35mph.

Whilst this was a useful exercise, our conclusion is that there is a limit to what can be done by the speedwatch team. There needs to be more creative thinking and support by the authorities to make this road safer for all users and not just drivers.”

Road Safety Week is the UK’s biggest road safety event, coordinated annually by Brake, the road safety charity.

Road Safety Week aims to inspire thousands of schools, organizations and communities to take action on road safety and promote life-saving messages during the week and beyond. It also provides a focal point for professionals working in road safety to boost awareness and engagement in their work.

Every year organisers choose a different theme for the Week: This year’s was “Speed Down – Save Lives”.

The campaign message included:

* Speed causes deaths and serious injuries on our roads.

* Rural roads are not race tracks.

* 20mph is the only safe speed in heavily built-up areas used by pedestrians and cyclists.

* Speed cameras work. They save lives.