Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has put out a call for Fleet residents to join the local Community Speedwatch scheme, run in partnership with Fleet Town Council. The initiative deploys teams of volunteers to roadsides around the town to monitor vehicle speeds and record details of those breaking the limit.
Each volunteer commits to roughly two one-hour sessions a month, working in groups of three or four. They use handheld devices that display a driver’s speed, and the registration of any vehicle exceeding the limit is logged and forwarded to the police. Training is delivered by the PCSO from the Fleet and Church Crookham Neighbourhood Policing Team over a session lasting between an hour and 90 minutes, and all kit is supplied.
Around 100 Community Speedwatch groups are currently active across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with about 1,000 volunteers taking part. The Fleet scheme is also expanding into neighbouring areas including Yateley, Blackwater, Crondall, Odiham and North Warnborough, with all areas hungry for more members. Volunteers must be at least 18, able to read number plates, and comfortable standing for an hour or so. Session rotas are drawn up on a two-month cycle, and volunteers are contacted three to four weeks in advance to confirm their availability.
Community Speedwatch operates as an educational tool, not an enforcement one. A police spokesperson described it as “the first tier response to speeding issues,” with offending drivers sent a speed awareness letter rather than a fine or penalty points. Only if the problem persists after these letters do neighbourhood policing teams consider stepped-up enforcement.
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