Crack down on speeding drivers

Volunteers are being trained to use hand-held speed guns to catch motorists who break speed limits in a Staffordshire village. A Speedwatch group is being formed in the town.

Members will be trained to use the equipment before carrying out regular checks and passing details of offenders on to police.

The Rugeley group will be in action before the end of the summer and has been set up with the support of Neighbourhood Policing Unit officers.

A team of 14 special constables also joined forces with beat officers to carry out checks this week in Bower Lane, Rugeley.

Action was sparked after monitoring equipment used by council representatives showed the average speed of traffic along the road was more than 40mph.

Sgt Chris Rodger, at Rugeley NPU, said: "This operation is to highlight that the 2,500 vehicles using the road on a daily basis should be adhering to the 30mph speed limit.

"Officers from Rugeley will be using a laser speed detection gun to check speed of vehicles and will be enforcing the speed limit."

He added: "This area has a regular system of street lighting and housing along the road.

"There have been a number of minor collisions on the road and if there is a regular system of street lighting, such as in a built up area, then unless there are signs to say otherwise, the speed limit will always be 30mph."

He said speeding along the stretch had also been the source of complaints from people living nearby so regular checks were being carried out to address any worries.

Speedwatch teams use hi-tech American laser speed equipment at pre-identified locations to track speed, registration number and make of the vehicle which is then verified by police.

Schemes are already up and running in other areas and involve any offenders caught being sent an advisory warning letter requesting their speed be lowered.

If the same vehicle is caught on a second occasion, a follow-up letter is issued and details noted by police.

By Michelle Pearson