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Villages set up speed checkpoints (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Villages set up speed checkpoints
12:59pm Friday 29th January 2010
TWO more villages on the outskirts of Darlington have adopted the new joint-operation speedwatch scheme which involves volunteers monitoring traffic.
High Coniscliffe and Heighington have taken up the idea following complaints voiced at a recent Police and Communities Together (Pact) meeting.
Villagers accompany police officers or police community support officers to monitor traffic with a device that detects and displays the speed at which vehicles are travelling.
Motorists caught exceeding the limit are sent a warning letter with advice on speeding. Police prosecute subsequent breaches.
The scheme was introduced recently in Gainford, Hurworth and Neasham, and will be set up soon in Middleton St George and in the Haughton, Whinfield and Springfield areas of Darlington.
The latest launch took place on Tuesday at High Coniscliffe, which has a 30mph speed limit. Villagers say motorists routinely ignore this.
During the first session, police and volunteers caught one motorist doing 35mph.
More volunteers from High Coniscliffe and Heighington are needed.
PC Julian Brown said it was about educating motorists and the community about speed.
“As well as bringing the speed motorists are travelling at to their attention, members of the public can see what 30mph looks like from the pavement,” he said.
“It can sometimes look very different from what 30mph feels like in a car, so if speeding is a perceived problem, it can also educate the community.
“Speeding was identified as a Pact priority in both villages, so we are taking it very seriously.”
He said the driver caught travelling at 35mph would be sent a warning letter.
Anyone willing to volunteer can contact PC Brown on 0345-6060-365.
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Dort, Durham says...
9:29am Wed 10 Feb 10
jakemans wrote:Well Mythbuster proved that a 90mph goods-train wouldn't suck you in at less than 50 cm distance from it so I doubt a lorry would.
maybe they need to monitor the speed in Merrybent too 50mph is far too fast for a built up area, it is only a matter of time before someone is killed. the gust of wind left behind of wagons can be so dangerous to any children or frail pensioners to get sucked underneath, the speed should be 30mph like any built up area so please change it councils
Having said that HGVs thundering down the much narrower road (with a much narrower or no verge/pavement) of Burtree Lane (with many still doing 60mph in the 30mph limit zone) are certainly dangerous so I guess Merrybent has that potential too.
Dort, Durham says...
9:32am Wed 10 Feb 10
jakemans wrote:Well Mythbuster proved that a 90mph goods-train wouldn't suck you in at less than 50 cm distance from it so I doubt a lorry would.
maybe they need to monitor the speed in Merrybent too 50mph is far too fast for a built up area, it is only a matter of time before someone is killed. the gust of wind left behind of wagons can be so dangerous to any children or frail pensioners to get sucked underneath, the speed should be 30mph like any built up area so please change it councils
Having said that HGVs thundering down the much narrower road (with a much narrower or no verge/pavement) of Burtree Lane (with many still doing 60mph in the 30mph limit zone) are certainly dangerous so I guess Merrybent has that potential too.
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jakemans, darlington says...
9:50am Fri 5 Feb 10