Speedwatch is the answer, West Auckland parish councillors told

A CRACKDOWN on speeding motorists in West Auckland will soon see parish councillors and residents trained to operate speed guns.

Discussions between West Auckland Parish Council and Durham County Council have been ongoing since 2015 about the need for speed matrix signs on the entrances to the village, in particular on Copeland Road, which passes Copeland Road Primary School.

During a recent site meeting with highways officer Keith Jameson, parish councillors say they were discouraged from putting a speed matrix sign in place on Copeland Road, despite having already earmarked £10,000 to cover the costs.

At the group’s latest parish council meeting, Cllr Billy Robinson said: “We spoke about the matrix and they were totally against it.

“They did not think it was a good idea because people would just get to know it was just telling us the speed. It was suggested that some of us went to do some training for speed guns. You take the number of the car down, ticket them and send a letter out.

“Another letter is sent out and then they get fined. He thinks that is the best way of trying to stop speeding.”

Cllr Martin Roberts said: “When people see the sign most slow down. I think they work.”

Cllr Robinson responded: “They are trying to discourage it full stop.”

It was reported at the parish council meeting that installing a chicane in the road could also help slow traffic.

However, this would set the parish council back £50,000. An S-shaped turn in the road would require the driver to reduce their speed. One direction of traffic would also have to give way to oncoming vehicles.

West Auckland is not a priority in Durham County Council’s Slow to 20 scheme which will see 20mph limits introduced in the vicinity of 66 schools.

Cllr Ed Farrer said: “It just surprises me that Durham County Council are looking at school sites, have already done some of them and we are still not even at the bottom of the list. I can’t understand why Copeland Road does not feature highly on their list. I can’t understand why police and highways don’t want to jump on this when we are happy to pay for it. Why aren’t they biting our hands off?”

Members of the parish council and residents could be trained by police to use radar speed guns to carry out the Speedwatch.

Cllr Robinson said: “It is four years now that we have been doing this and we just keep hitting brick walls. I am still a matrix fan but I was thinking if we get enough people to try these speed guns out, just give it a go.”

Parish chairman Cllr Colin Mairs said: “He was advising us that the best line to go down was the speed guns.”

Cllr Rachel Gargett-Gillens said: “If we were trained, we could then go to other parts of the village. The A68 is bad.”

Cllr Roberts said: “Maybe we should go along with what they are saying but let’s say that beyond that we are adamant that we need a matrix and beyond that a chicane. Then we have three options.”

However, Durham County Council have since confirmed that they would be willing to help West Auckland Parish Council with the provision of a speed matrix sign.

Head of technical services John Reed said: “We have held a number of meetings with the police and West Auckland Parish Council to discuss concerns about speeding in the area.

“We understand that the parish council has agreed to progress the community Speedwatch initiative via the police and we have also offered to facilitate the provision of permanent speed visors should funding be provided by the parish council.

“We do fund a rotational speed visor programme but unfortunately the sites proposed by the parish council do not meet the criteria at the moment.”