Community Speed Watch

Community Speed Watch is a community operated initiative designed to allow volunteers to officially monitor and report to the Police details of speeding vehicles in areas of concern to the community. Community Speed Watch is not enforcement.

The Community Speed Watch initiative allows members of the community to address speeding issues by becoming actively involved in road safety, using speed detection equipment to monitor speeds from safe locations.

Whilst all of the road safety partners are working together to achieve casualty reduction targets and reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads we cannot expect Police Officers to carry out enforcement checks in every community on a regular basis. This is where Community Speed Watch can help by working with the partnership.

Our aim is NOT to catch as many speeding drivers as possible but to raise awareness that excessive speeds are socially unacceptable. We aim to reduce speed in areas of concern and address issues from communities by raising awareness.

Community Speed Watch volunteers monitor vehicles from designated sites which have been risk assessed and approved by the police. Our volunteers use a police approved hand-held speed detection device to check the speed of vehicles and any vehicles recorded driving 35+ mph in 30mph zone or 46+ mph in a 40mph zone, are written down on a monitoring sheet. The details recorded are time, date, site, make, model, colour, registration and speed.

These details are sent to the CSW Administrator for processing. A PNC (Police National Computer) check is run on the vehicle and the registered keeper’s information is obtained and a letter is sent.

First offence – Letter is sent to the registered keeper advising details of the offence and a reminder of the effects of their action.

Second offence – Follow up letter is sent to registered keeper with stronger wording

Persistent offenders and High Speeders will be added to a tasking list and circulated for targeted police visit and intervention.

Communities across the region want to be involved in the battle to reduce speeds and are happy to donate time. All police volunteers are vetted, trained, supported and insured. As members of the extended policing family they also have 100% backing from Lincolnshire Police. Should any police volunteer be abused or intimidated the offender will be dealt with according to criminal law.

CSW volunteers must be over 18 years of age; they are not subject to any form of police checks but can be rejected or removed from Community Speed Watch without explanation by the police.

Volunteers are trained to use the equipment correctly, codes of conduct and Health and Safety issues. This knowledge is refreshed annually.

• Yes, our volunteers must follow our rules of conduct. The safety of the volunteers and all road users is paramount.
• Volunteers must not stand in the road at any time
• Volunteers must not obstruct the footpath.
• Approved high-visibility jackets must be worn at all times.
• Volunteers will only use approved equipment and will only use the equipment following final approval by the Police.
• Volunteers will only use the equipment at locations which have been agreed in advance by the Police.
• When traffic is being monitored, the signs provided will be placed and erected in accordance with the instructions given.
• The device must be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Volunteers must not attempt to conceal their speed monitoring activities from passing motorists.
• Monitoring is to be undertaken by a minimum of three volunteers at any one time.
• It is strongly recommended that at least one volunteer be in possession of a mobile phone.
• Monitoring only should take place. NO signals or gestures are to be made to drivers. Volunteers MUST NOT attempt to stop any vehicle.
• Checks should be carried out in daylight hours and in 30mph and 40mph speed limit areas only.

Community Speed Watch operators have strict guidelines to adhere to and are expected to maintain a professional approach to monitoring. If you feel that this was not the case, then please contact the CSW Administrator and they will investigate your complaint.

We only hold the details of the registered keeper on our secure police server. These details are held and accessed in line with the restrictions imposed by the Data Protection and Management of Police Information guidelines.

No, for this specific incident we will be taking no further action. Our aim is to encourage people to slow down without having to involve any further action.

This is your final warning.  If you are monitored speeding again within the next 18 months your vehicle details will be passed to our Community Engagement Officers for further action.  This could include the vehicle details being sent to Roads Policing or the Neighbourhood Policing Team, for targeted intervention or a visit.

You should make the driver aware of the contents of the letter and any other material enclosed. Speed Watch monitors vehicles not drivers so it would be advisable to inform all users of the vehicle of the warning.

You should contact the CSW Administrator and inform them of the change of keeper. We would also strongly advise you to contact the DVLA to make sure your details are removed from the data base. [email protected]

Community Speed Watch only monitors roads with a 30mph or 40mph limit. We work to the same guidelines as Lincolnshire Police in accordance with the NPCC Guidelines (National Police Chiefs Council) Within those guidelines the policy is to begin prosecution at 10% + 2mph i.e. 35mph in a 30mph area and 46mph in a 40mph area.

There are a number of processes in place to verify the registration of the speeding vehicle. On the rare occasion a warning letter is sent out by mistake the details will be deleted from the database. To start this process, you will need to contact the CSW Administrator. [email protected]

Please contact the DVLA as this vehicle was showing as being registered to you at the time we processed the letter. If you have recently updated them, this information can take some time to update therefore please ignore the letter.

This information is kept secure in the interest of staff and volunteer safety and will not normally be disclosed. The information is available to supervisors should the need to investigate a complaint or incident arise. Speed Watch sessions can be staffed by police officers, police community support officers and Community Speed Watch volunteers or a mixture of all three.