Police commissioner pledges to buy signs to help villages tackle speeding (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Police commissioner pledges to buy signs to help villages tackle speeding

2:30pm Monday 11th March 2013 in News By Vicki Henderson, Darlington reporter

RESIDENTS living in rural areas of Darlington have welcomed a decision by the police and crime commissioner for County Durham to buy speed monitoring signs to help tackle persistent speeding.

Ron Hogg has pledged to buy signs that flash up a driver’s speed to shame them into slowing down, which will be available to lend to parish councils when they hold SpeedWatch initiatives.

Mr Hogg made his announcement at the Middleton St George Police and Communities Together (Pact) meeting, where he heard that attempts to tackle speeding in the village could be hindered by a lack of equipment.

Surveys show that up to 25 per cent of motorists using Middleton Lane, in the village, were speeding, with most of the offenders residents of the village.

PC Kevin Salter, who is leading efforts to cut speeding in Middleton St George, told the meeting that speed monitoring signs were the most effective way of encouraging people to cut their speed because they can be deployed for long periods, while officers cannot.

Highways equipment, including signage and road adjustments, is usually the responsibility of local authorities but Darlington Borough Council has said it is unable to provide electronic signs.

A number of parish councils, including Hurworth, Bishopton and Sadberge, have been fundraising to buy their own signs, at a cost of more than £2,000 each.

Mr Hogg said: “I will look at buying at some of these speed signs to see if they can be loaned out. We can’t afford a lot but I will buy some.

“They’ll be available particularly to rural parishes – if parish councils go to the effort of trying to stop speeding issues then we should help them.”

A Darlington Borough Council spokeswoman said: "A number of parish councils have requested that speed activated signs be erected.

"The council has so far worked with Bishopton and Hurworth Parish Councils on proposals to erect speed activated signs. As part of these proposals the council will consider contributing towards the costs to install poles for the signs, whilst the parish council will pay for the signs and any future maintenance.

"We would be happy to speak to Middleton St George Parish Council about this and other ways of working with the police and residents to reduce speeding in the area."