Local volunteers 'to be given radar guns to catch speeding drivers'

Volunteers will be trained to use radar speed guns

Volunteers will be taking up speed guns to monitor traffic going through villages in North Lincolnshire as part of a pilot scheme starting next month.

“Community Speed Watch” will be trialled initially in Belton, North Killingholme, South Killingholme, Thornton Curtis and Ulceby.

If successful, the scheme will be rolled out more widely in April to areas wanting to get involved.

The “fully trained” volunteers will use the hand-held devices to record speed, registration number and make and colour of speeding vehicles.

Those caught breaking the limit will be sent warning letters from Humberside Police - who may take action against “persistent or extreme offenders.”

Belton parish council chairman David Neale said he was “all for it,” adding: “I’ve threatened to stand outside and take pictures of lorries breaking the weight limit but the police have said you have to have evidence.

“I think it needs something as you get a lot of problems with traffic on High Street and Westgate.”

Parish councillor David Ripley, however, thought flashing speed signs would be better, adding: “I don’t think it would go down very well. I think a very small proportion would be willing to take part, that’s my personal view.

“People will see it as them exceeding their powers - it should be the police that do this - not private individuals.”

North Lincolnshire Council said it would give “local communities more power over speeding vehicles.”

It is working with Safer Roads Humber and Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Keith Hunter on the introduction of the scheme.

Similar schemes have been rolled out in North Yorkshire and, a decade ago, in Norfolk.