Volunteers report high level of speeding through Teesdale's villages

AS MANY as half the vehicles passing through towns and villages across Teesdale have been found to be speeding.

The shock statistic was revealed by Speedwatch volunteers who monitor traffic throughout the area twice each week.

In a survey carried out two weeks ago, volunteers Susan Dodgson and Stephen Beardsall found that about 40 per cent of the vehicles travelling through Middleton-in-Teesdale were speeding.

Ms Dodgson said the problem is widespread and all built up areas in the dale are affected by it.

Particularly badly affected, the volunteers said, are Middleton, Romaldkirk, Woodland and the A67 entrance to Barnard Castle.

She said: “People don’t stick to the speed limit. We count how many cars we check and work out the percentage.

“We have had some as high as 50 per cent exceeding the limit.”

The pair carried out a Speedwatch operation near Teesdale School, in Barnard Castle, on Tuesday last week during which they found seven vehicles exceeding the 30mph speed limit in just 15 minutes.

Durham County Council has earmarked that stretch of highway for a 20mph speed restriction, but the volunteers question the wisdom of the decision.

They say the area is gridlocked at school opening and closing time, so it is impossible for vehicles to speed at those times.

Previously the volunteers clocked only three vehicles speeding out of 1,000 that were monitored during school opening time.

The Speedwatch operation works by volunteers recording the number of vehicles that pass and taking down the registration numbers of those who exceed the speed limit.

This information is handed to police who write warning letters to the offending drivers. Repeat offenders could find themselves being penalised.

Currently there are only two Speedwatch volunteers in Teesdale.

Ms Dodgson said: “We have got to have a minimum of two. There were about eight of us but people just want to do their own village.”

Lartington and Etherley have established their own Speedwatch volunteer groups. Staindrop Parish Council is currently looking for volunteers to start a Speedwatch in their village.

Copley and Ingleton are also attempting to start Speedwatch groups.

Anyone interested in joining a speedwatch group can contact PCSO Liz Finn, at Barnard Castle Police Station, on 101.