Calls for more Police speed checks around Salisbury
Members of public take to Facebook naming worst roads for 'racetrack' drivers
Salisbury Police have stirred the feelings of local residents following the force's latest efforts to catch motorists flouting speed limits on roads around the city.
Whilst Officers are being thanked and 'liked' on the Salisbury Police Facebook page for spending time with the speed gun in Wilton during the past week, the subject's also drawn a flurry of comments from members of the public highlighting other hotspots where drivers blatantly ignore the speed limits. Some people have even complained that, despite obvious problems , Wiltshire Police never do anything to tackle speeding on roads in their community.
WILTON SPEED CHECKS
Salisbury's Neighbourhood PC Mark Douglas did speed-checks in Wilton on Wednesday morning (18 Aug 2021) in a bid to get people to drive more safely.
One driver was ticketed for going 43mph in a 30mph zone through a residential area. PC Douglas was also approached by local residents in Wilton who told him they reckoned traffic was going much slower than usual.
SPEEDING HOTSPOTS
But Salisbury Police's Facebook post has now prompted demands from other people for action on the roads where they live. Some even claim drivers behave like they're on a racing circuit.
On the list of roads and places cited are familiar speeding blackspots including, Laverstock, Amesbury, Old Sarum, and Downton.
Facebook comments illustrate the concerns:
Sally Sanger posted:
"Come and see us in Amesbury. its shockingly bad!"
Pat Donnelly made this plea to Salisbury Police:
"Come to DEVIZES. ROAD. And BEMERTON HEATH"
And Deborah Blakemore added:
"Please try A338 at Downton roundabout"
There may be no way that Salisbury Police, or Wiltshire Police as a whole, can devote additional resources to all of these areas to tackle speeding. Much of the work is done by Wiltshire's voluntary 'Community Speed Watch' scheme in association with the Police. But Speed Watch volunteers can't issue tickets, their role is to observe and be a visible deterrent. All information they record is passed to Wiltshire police. Speed Watch also only takes place where a speeding issue has been identified in a 20mph, 30mph or 40mph zone.
Even with all the vital work that Speed Watch is doing in and around Salisbury, there are complaints and criticism of the Police.
DINTON: Claim Police aren't doing speed checks
Anna Southern posted on Salisbury Police's Facebook page:
"Dinton Community Speedwatch caught a driver driving at 63mph through the village which is a 30mph zone and has a school which many children walk to. No sign of the police doing speed checks here though."
And Lucy Main wrote:
"Can you do a speed check on the A36 by the swan at Stoford? The lorries and cars fly around there!"
A recent report from Wiltshire Police said 'education' is key to deal with speeding drivers who don't seem to have learned, or taken on board, the potentially fatal consequences of driving too fast.
Wiltshire Police and the Crime Commissioners' websites say:
"Community Speed Watch (CSW) helps local people to address speeding in their communities. CSW volunteers work closely with Community Policing Teams (CPTs), supported by the Special Constabulary Roads Policing Unit."
"For more information on CSW please email: communityspeedwatch@wiltshire.police.uk Your local CPT can also provide more information about CSW schemes in your area. The CSW Co-ordinator will arrange everything you need to become a CSW volunteer. The schemes are supported by the police.
You can also raise speeding issues with your local area board/Parish Council, and Wiltshire Area Board
MAP OF WILTSHIRE CSW
There are currently over 100 communities signed-up to take part in the Community Speed Watch (CSW) scheme in Wiltshire.
You can see a map of all the Wiltshire Community Speedwatch (CSW) areas here.