Speed Checks 21st April 2009

Thanks for pushing this.

Ok....The speed checks prove that there is an issue now.
You would of thought that with the recent checks over the last week or so the message may of got round? But it appears not, as many are still being caught within a short period of operating the checks on these various days.
Now, although an important police operation in the eyes of the law and the community, valuable police time and resources are being taken up with this issue on Reg Mitch. I, today, spotted 1 officer operating the speed camera. 1 Officer and 1 PCO at side of road. 2 police vehicles, an additional officer in second vehicle, dealing with Sabb Convertible driver, who had fallen foul of the situation.
Now in my eyes, all officers and vehicles that were in attendance were justified, and there is a bonus of taking various vehicles off the road for other issues apart from speeding. Couldn’t police time be better spent?
Could this 'Express Way', be more practicably better policed by a fixed speed camera?
Ahhh “yes”, I hear you say, but then everyone would know there is a speed camera there, and slow down, avoiding a fixed fine and penalty points, and hence no revenue through fines for speeding.
Now that would be a real result!!
We have all been there, and seen the sneaky mobile vans and manned speed camera's when we have been out and about on our journeys, and I would find it hard to find anyone who has not run the gauntlet of speeding at there own peril without a thought for more vulnerable road users, perhaps not so consciously, at some time in their driving career?
It's sometimes gratifying to see those caught for such offences on roads that we are passionate about that affect us directly, but with the evidence of speeding, which directly put others a risk, does require a more and permanent solution to be put in place.
At the end of the day, quoting what the council and police and other organisations say, “They are not speed cameras, but Safety Cameras". Lets have some safety then!!! ( Let alone some common sense )
The council seems to disregard safety issues on the Reg Mitch, such as overgrown vegetation and road layout, well maybe the initial cash outlay of a 'Fixed Safety Camera' will provide the safety to other road users and a steady revenue (Speeders permitting) to support other safety initiatives within the county?
To finish, let me applauded the local police for their excellent support on this matter, but as a short reminder to the cause, on leaving the estate at the ‘roundabout of death’ at 5.30 this evening, I was reminded that I don’t live in the cuddly world, by a red V Reg WV Golf, doing in excess of 40MPH, with a guy Texting, whilst holding the phone in one hand ‘and’ the steering wheel, totally oblivious that a round-about actually existed. Maybe not a Safety Camera we need but video camera.
Would make great viewing (or maybe not),on “You’ve been framed”

I have banged on about this, both on the forum, and in private, it is about time our new fire chief becomes involved, as when the station is built, they will need to put to the council what systems they will need, is Lee Wanger still on the fire commitee?

The sentinel has today printed an update to this weeks Reginald Mitchell Way's speed checks.

Snippet
"A number of residents thanked the officers for their efforts during the operation which followed a similar one on Wednesday, April 15 when more than 25 motorists were dealt with.

Inspector Mark Harden, commander of the Tunstall neighbourhood policing team, said: "We are responding directly to the concerns of residents.

"We have done something about it by targeting motorists who ignored the clearly marked restriction, many of whom admitted they knew they were breaking the law.

"Operations such as this are only possible because of the support of the community. In fact many of the motorists we challenged about their driving were supportive of the action we were taking."

Click here to read and comment