Community led road safety initiative

Community Speed Watch is a Community Forum driven initiative that enables local communities, supported by Warwickshire Police, to become involved in reducing harm and fear arising from inappropriate traffic speed on local roads.

Trained community volunteers monitor vehicle speeds with approved devices at risk assessed sites identified as priority community concerns. Where speeds are inappropriate, Warwickshire Police send notice to drivers to encourage them to reduce their speed in the future. Where drivers fail to take notice of community concerns, they may become subject to Police led speed enforcement activity.

The effects of speed

Inappropriate speed contributes to the occurrence and severity of many road collisions. The faster you go the further you travel during your reaction time and the less time you have to take action. Just a little extra speed at the start has a huge effect on the outcome.

The case for Community Speed Watch

Inappropriate free-flow traffic speed is a concern to many communities along the 4,500km of roads in Warwickshire. Whilst Warwickshire Police enforce all speed limits, targeted speed enforcement is focused on those routes which cause the most harm. Similarly, Safety Camera operations and engineering safety schemes are prioritised towards those sites with the most serious safety problems.

In the past, communities approached the authorities with their concerns only to find they were not a priority. This safety focussed initiative, empowers communities to participate in the speed management partnership and directly contribute to protecting local road users.

Initiating a Community Speed Watch Scheme

Community Speed Watch is a Community Forum driven initiative that is supported by Warwickshire Police. It is not a Warwickshire Police initiative that communities can ‘join’. Warwickshire Police will support Community Speed Watch schemes providing they operate in accordance with the Force's Community Speed Watch Policy. Community Speed Watch activity is restricted to routes in settlements which have a 30 or 40mph speed limit.

Community Speed Watch can be considered by Community Forums where ‘speeding traffic’ is identified as a priority community concern. The community will need to provide a scheme coordinator and deputy, with at least 2 other volunteers. The local Police Safer Neighbourhoods Team will then assign a liaison officer to assist the group members with mobilising, managing and supporting the scheme.

Want to participate?

If you wish to participate in Community Speed Watch you should contact, or visit your local Community Forum or Safer Neighbourhoods Team. To find your local Safer Neighbourhoods Team, you can visit the Safer Neighbourhoods web site.

Want to help?

All drivers and riders can help to protect people from harm by complying with speed limits, travelling at a speed appropriate to the road conditions and by taking particular care when passing safety sensitive sites such as settlements, schools, shops and roadworks.