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.