Norfolk Police take part in motorbike trial to tackle rural speeding
The bikes allow police to monitor areas they otherwise couldn't
Norfolk Police are taking part in a new motorbike trial, in a bid to tackle speeding in rural, hard-to-reach locations.
They say, historically, that police officers or Safety Camera Team operators have found positioning themselves safely, as to not become an obstruction, in a village or a smaller country lane almost impossible, meaning they've been unable to offer the speed checks in areas often asked for by members of the public.
Now, the force's Safety Camera Team have identified over 80 locations across the county that could be vulnerable to speeding and who are not receiving the support they need because of this issue.
A new eight-week police bike initiative begun earlier this month to try and combat the problem, allowing officers to get into locations that need attention.
Senior Safety Camera Officer Malcolm Fitzsimmons is taking part: “We’ve seen a really positive response to this initiative so far. People are happy to see that their complaints have been heard and something is being done about it.
"It’s been a challenge getting to this point, but we’re hoping that by increasing our presence in more rural areas, we’ll reduce the number of speeding reports we receive.
“Contrary to the opinions of some, we do not complete speed checks because they’re ‘cash cows’, and our aim is not to catch as many drivers as possible. Checks are done primarily to prevent further speeding and change the behaviour of offending drivers...
"Since the trial started on August 1 2023, we have visited that same location four times and recorded an average of four speeders per hour. Checks here wouldn’t have been possible before and shows our presence has likely had a significant impact in decreasing the number of speeders, and will hopefully continue to do so.
“Awareness of speeding is highly important and can save lives. This motorbike trial is giving us the opportunity to remind more people that speed limits exist everywhere, and they’re there for a reason.”