Northants Scamera Partnership recruiting informers
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From the Northants Police Website:
Community Speed Watch Set In Motion
Villagers will be carrying out speed enforcement using hand held laser guns as part of a pilot project due to be launched in the county.
Seven villages have been invited to take part in a pilot scheme, called Community Speed Watch, which aims to involve local communities in tackling speeding problems.
The scheme, developed by the county’s Safety Camera Partnership along with Northamptonshire County Council’s Road Safety Department, and Northamptonshire ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), also has the support of Northamptonshire Police.
Representatives from the villages of Crick, Earls Barton, East Farndon, Helmdon, Stanwick, Wollaston and Whittlebury attended a meeting on Thursday night (June 12) where they were given full details of the pilot scheme and how they could help in reducing speeding traffic through their villages.
All these villages, and others, had previously raised concerns about excessive speed and, following monitoring in these villages by the Safety Camera Partnership to confirm that speeding was a problem, the seven villages were selected for the trial.
Sergeant Darren Elliott who heads the Enforcement Team at the Safety Camera Partnership said: “We get many requests from local residents and Community Beat Officers asking us for help because of speeding problems and we endeavour to respond to as many as we can. The concept of Community Speed Watch is to involve the community more in tackling this major problem by encouraging their own local residents to pledge to stick to the speed limit in their own village and across the county. In return, we will supply them with the support and tools necessary to encourage slower and safer driving.”
The first stage of the scheme is for each village to gain a significant level of support for the initiative from their own local residents. Village representatives will be out knocking on doors over the next few weeks asking for a signed ‘pledge’ that locals support the initiative and, by doing so, will keep to the speed limit.
“The initiative has to be a community commitment and not seen as the action of one or two individuals,” Sergeant Elliott said. “Without this level of support it just won’t work, but I am confident that these villages will get the backing they need. The scheme is all about empowering local communities.”
Once the level of support needed has been achieved, the villages will then get the training and tools to get Community Speed Watch off the ground. There will be two levels of action trialled:
1. High-visibility poster boards with a ‘slow down’ message will be displayed through the village; there will be regular visits from the Safety Camera Team, coupled with visits by the portable electronic Speed Indicator Device (SID) which shows motorists how fast they are travelling but flashing up their speeds
2.
2. Local residents will be trained in the use of a hand-held laser speed gun and will monitor traffic passing through the village. They will wear high-visibility jackets, logo’d with Community Speed Watch, and will monitor at sites which have been safely assessed by the Police. Working in teams of two, the details of anyone found speeding will be recorded and passed to the Police who will issue a warning letter to the owner of the vehicle reminding them of the dangers of speeding. Persistent offenders will be targeted by the Safety Camera Team or a police motorcyclist.
This is all getting a bit too much like Communist Russia or Nazi Germany for my liking – citizens being encouraged to inform on other citizens.
If I get any ba$tards knocking on my door asking me to sign a “pledge” I shall be telling where to go in no uncertain terms. I suppose I better go and buy some donuts for when the police motorcyclist comes to see me.
>>> Edited by TSS on Wednesday 18th June 17:30
Community Speed Watch Set In Motion
Villagers will be carrying out speed enforcement using hand held laser guns as part of a pilot project due to be launched in the county.
Seven villages have been invited to take part in a pilot scheme, called Community Speed Watch, which aims to involve local communities in tackling speeding problems.
The scheme, developed by the county’s Safety Camera Partnership along with Northamptonshire County Council’s Road Safety Department, and Northamptonshire ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), also has the support of Northamptonshire Police.
Representatives from the villages of Crick, Earls Barton, East Farndon, Helmdon, Stanwick, Wollaston and Whittlebury attended a meeting on Thursday night (June 12) where they were given full details of the pilot scheme and how they could help in reducing speeding traffic through their villages.
All these villages, and others, had previously raised concerns about excessive speed and, following monitoring in these villages by the Safety Camera Partnership to confirm that speeding was a problem, the seven villages were selected for the trial.
Sergeant Darren Elliott who heads the Enforcement Team at the Safety Camera Partnership said: “We get many requests from local residents and Community Beat Officers asking us for help because of speeding problems and we endeavour to respond to as many as we can. The concept of Community Speed Watch is to involve the community more in tackling this major problem by encouraging their own local residents to pledge to stick to the speed limit in their own village and across the county. In return, we will supply them with the support and tools necessary to encourage slower and safer driving.”
The first stage of the scheme is for each village to gain a significant level of support for the initiative from their own local residents. Village representatives will be out knocking on doors over the next few weeks asking for a signed ‘pledge’ that locals support the initiative and, by doing so, will keep to the speed limit.
“The initiative has to be a community commitment and not seen as the action of one or two individuals,” Sergeant Elliott said. “Without this level of support it just won’t work, but I am confident that these villages will get the backing they need. The scheme is all about empowering local communities.”
Once the level of support needed has been achieved, the villages will then get the training and tools to get Community Speed Watch off the ground. There will be two levels of action trialled:
1. High-visibility poster boards with a ‘slow down’ message will be displayed through the village; there will be regular visits from the Safety Camera Team, coupled with visits by the portable electronic Speed Indicator Device (SID) which shows motorists how fast they are travelling but flashing up their speeds
2.
2. Local residents will be trained in the use of a hand-held laser speed gun and will monitor traffic passing through the village. They will wear high-visibility jackets, logo’d with Community Speed Watch, and will monitor at sites which have been safely assessed by the Police. Working in teams of two, the details of anyone found speeding will be recorded and passed to the Police who will issue a warning letter to the owner of the vehicle reminding them of the dangers of speeding. Persistent offenders will be targeted by the Safety Camera Team or a police motorcyclist.
This is all getting a bit too much like Communist Russia or Nazi Germany for my liking – citizens being encouraged to inform on other citizens.
If I get any ba$tards knocking on my door asking me to sign a “pledge” I shall be telling where to go in no uncertain terms. I suppose I better go and buy some donuts for when the police motorcyclist comes to see me.
>>> Edited by TSS on Wednesday 18th June 17:30
Oh come on guys! This IS THE opportunity of a lifetime!
Local numpty tossers with a speed kills chip, and free issue lasers, in a QUIET (previously) little place that no one gives a fcuk about?
Lets get our loud engined monsta's out and give em something the bloody well goggle at! Imagine 300 noisy tvrs all going UNDEr the limit in a protest at this cruddy idea?
Heres the plan: I sit up the street with soulpatch at the other, laser jammers on active, yous guys come growling and rorting thru the formley sleepy village of tossford, all well under the limit (maybe? ) and let em laser away.
Theyll soon get pissed off of sitting there with NO readings!!!
What say?
>> Edited by deltaf on Wednesday 18th June 19:02
>> Edited by deltaf on Wednesday 18th June 19:04
Local numpty tossers with a speed kills chip, and free issue lasers, in a QUIET (previously) little place that no one gives a fcuk about?
Lets get our loud engined monsta's out and give em something the bloody well goggle at! Imagine 300 noisy tvrs all going UNDEr the limit in a protest at this cruddy idea?
Heres the plan: I sit up the street with soulpatch at the other, laser jammers on active, yous guys come growling and rorting thru the formley sleepy village of tossford, all well under the limit (maybe? ) and let em laser away.
Theyll soon get pissed off of sitting there with NO readings!!!
What say?
>> Edited by deltaf on Wednesday 18th June 19:02
>> Edited by deltaf on Wednesday 18th June 19:04
wits cannot pull you over and prosecute on the spot. 
Village representatives will be out knocking on doors over the next few weeks asking for a signed ‘pledge’
all anyone in crick has to do to stop this is pretend to sign(i asume it will be a big sheet with loads of names on) then rip the fcuker up!!!!
They arnt going to keep going round and get the same people to sign.
Whats the charge going to be
is it an offence to rip up a petition?
can you beat the crap out of them and say they were trespassing
all anyone in crick has to do to stop this is pretend to sign(i asume it will be a big sheet with loads of names on) then rip the fcuker up!!!!
They arnt going to keep going round and get the same people to sign.
Whats the charge going to be
is it an offence to rip up a petition? can you beat the crap out of them and say they were trespassing
deltaf said:
Oh come on guys! This IS THE opportunity of a lifetime! Imagine 300 noisy tvrs all going UNDER the limit in a protest at this cruddy idea? What say?
I've got no idea where Crick is, but I think this would be great fun - and think of the media coverage! Might get Daily Mail to sponsor a BBQ on the green (Crick sounds like it ought to have one!). Count me in.
Right here's one for you. Like Rudegirl says at the moment I am living in Crick with my parents while waiting to move into my new house....
My Old Man is on the local council and went to this "vigilante" meeting the other night. Crick (like the other villages mentioned did it's own speed survey a few months ago and the results were appalling. 70% of drivers passing by the kiddies junoir school were more than 15mph over the speed limit, ie: 45mph and over in a 30 limit. Thats absolutley terrible and most of these twats are locals.
However, while I agree that it's bad, I totally oppose speed cameras and in particular the total cheats and liars of the so called "Northants Casualty reduction team" These parasites are only interested in revenue and they have made no difference whatsoever to casualty figures in the county. The last two years they have gone up despite this county being the worst for speed Scameras in the whole world. Yet they still doctor the figures to suit their case.
I have spent the last two evenings arguing like hell with "Councillor Hypocrite" Dad who forgets that I go in the car to the footie with him every other Saturday and witness his total lack of regard for speed limits.
I have told him that I will buy his beer for a month if he gets the neccesary 200 or so people to make this ridiculous scheme work....
My only concern is that the way people do speed in this village will force the scamera team to target it anyway and if a child gets knocked down by a speeder then it will be Hiroshima. My only suggestion to the "councillor" was to put up better speed limit signs than the pathetic things they have up now and possibly a traffic calming scheme near the school. Targetting the locals licences isn't going to get him re-elected!!
My Old Man is on the local council and went to this "vigilante" meeting the other night. Crick (like the other villages mentioned did it's own speed survey a few months ago and the results were appalling. 70% of drivers passing by the kiddies junoir school were more than 15mph over the speed limit, ie: 45mph and over in a 30 limit. Thats absolutley terrible and most of these twats are locals.
However, while I agree that it's bad, I totally oppose speed cameras and in particular the total cheats and liars of the so called "Northants Casualty reduction team" These parasites are only interested in revenue and they have made no difference whatsoever to casualty figures in the county. The last two years they have gone up despite this county being the worst for speed Scameras in the whole world. Yet they still doctor the figures to suit their case.
I have spent the last two evenings arguing like hell with "Councillor Hypocrite" Dad who forgets that I go in the car to the footie with him every other Saturday and witness his total lack of regard for speed limits.
I have told him that I will buy his beer for a month if he gets the neccesary 200 or so people to make this ridiculous scheme work....
My only concern is that the way people do speed in this village will force the scamera team to target it anyway and if a child gets knocked down by a speeder then it will be Hiroshima. My only suggestion to the "councillor" was to put up better speed limit signs than the pathetic things they have up now and possibly a traffic calming scheme near the school. Targetting the locals licences isn't going to get him re-elected!!
[quote=pesty]Village representatives will be out knocking on doors over the next few weeks asking for a signed ‘pledge’ quote]
The cynic in me says they're doing this so that all the locals are forewarned to be on their best behaviour.
Normally when the locals whinge to the cops and the cops set up a trap a huge % of those caught are locals.
This is a sneaky way to forewarn the locals.
I can appreciate if the village has a problem but this whole thing strikes me as being really creepy in the "grass on your neihbour" nazi style way.
I don't like it.
The law is for those in uniform. Nuff said.
Andy
The cynic in me says they're doing this so that all the locals are forewarned to be on their best behaviour.
Normally when the locals whinge to the cops and the cops set up a trap a huge % of those caught are locals.
This is a sneaky way to forewarn the locals.
I can appreciate if the village has a problem but this whole thing strikes me as being really creepy in the "grass on your neihbour" nazi style way.
I don't like it.
The law is for those in uniform. Nuff said.
Andy
whats to stop this from occuring?
local busy body who seeks attention by moaning and complaining about everyone takes a dislike to somebody.
she then keeps reporting person for speeding persom gets 'targeted' by the Police.
Ive had enough dealings with sad old dears to know it will happen!
local busy body who seeks attention by moaning and complaining about everyone takes a dislike to somebody.
she then keeps reporting person for speeding persom gets 'targeted' by the Police.
Ive had enough dealings with sad old dears to know it will happen!
Been talking recently about "miserable old gits". Not because of age IMHO. I have come to the conclusion that if they are miserable old gits, then they were probably miserable young gits. The difference being that when they get older they have less distractions (Work, Family etc) and thus more time to spend on being obnoxious.
Have met plenty of happy cheerful older people, we have one or two on Pistonheads......
And one or two miserable young gits.....
Have met plenty of happy cheerful older people, we have one or two on Pistonheads......
And one or two miserable young gits.....
Putting on my most cynical hat the whole object of this must be to raise revenue and not safety.
Police resources are limited so rather than taking pot luck with scameras why not get the local villages to monitor traffic and its speeds to help pin point speeding "hot spots" which can then be targeted by hiding the talivans in the local bushes.
If they really wanted to reduce speed they could implement some traffic calming measures - but that costs money whereas enlisting a group of biddies with nothing better to do with their time than interefere with other people is a far more cost effective solution
Its also cheaper than putting a bobby on the street too.
Police resources are limited so rather than taking pot luck with scameras why not get the local villages to monitor traffic and its speeds to help pin point speeding "hot spots" which can then be targeted by hiding the talivans in the local bushes.
If they really wanted to reduce speed they could implement some traffic calming measures - but that costs money whereas enlisting a group of biddies with nothing better to do with their time than interefere with other people is a far more cost effective solution
Its also cheaper than putting a bobby on the street too.
The problem here as I see it, is that the Scamera team are looking for ways to find more revenue in Northants because all the locals have now cracked on to the places where these cash wagons sit. Getting the people in villages all wound up because people speed past a school is an easy way of finding more revenue.
As far as I understand they can't stick the scamera van anywhere where there hasn't been a fatality. This means they are missing out on the opportunity of a big pay day (or indeed payweek) in a village like Crick. The only way round this is to get 200 or so locals to sign a petition, lend them some speed guns and then when the results come back they can blitz the place and make a load of money.
Funny, but I have heard that the officer who held the meeting told all present not to talk to the press.....then they put it all up on their website, for the whole world to see.
Crick had a bypass built a year ago, it's now 100% safer than it ever was before. All it needs is some traffic calming to discourage people cutting through it, not a load of bored pensioners with speed guns.
Also, you have to bear in mind that all these whinging OAP's are now getting bored with thier "STOP THE AIRPORT AT RUGBY" campaign and need something else to shout "Not in my back yard" at....Nice to know that like muggers and burglars our police force now targets Old Age pensioners to help their income....
>> Edited by flasher on Thursday 19th June 09:16
As far as I understand they can't stick the scamera van anywhere where there hasn't been a fatality. This means they are missing out on the opportunity of a big pay day (or indeed payweek) in a village like Crick. The only way round this is to get 200 or so locals to sign a petition, lend them some speed guns and then when the results come back they can blitz the place and make a load of money.
Funny, but I have heard that the officer who held the meeting told all present not to talk to the press.....then they put it all up on their website, for the whole world to see.
Crick had a bypass built a year ago, it's now 100% safer than it ever was before. All it needs is some traffic calming to discourage people cutting through it, not a load of bored pensioners with speed guns.
Also, you have to bear in mind that all these whinging OAP's are now getting bored with thier "STOP THE AIRPORT AT RUGBY" campaign and need something else to shout "Not in my back yard" at....Nice to know that like muggers and burglars our police force now targets Old Age pensioners to help their income....
>> Edited by flasher on Thursday 19th June 09:16
Flasher
Whilst we're being cynical, I'll bet you a dinner that when the Scamera vans turn up, they won't be anywhere near the school or the shops. They'll be on the straight coming in from West Haddon, or coming up the hill from the motorway.
Sadly, I think that the 'partnerships' stir up public feeling in order to get their support, and then don't deal with the specific issues that people are really bothered about. Stick a camera outside the school - I'll vote for that.
Whilst we're being cynical, I'll bet you a dinner that when the Scamera vans turn up, they won't be anywhere near the school or the shops. They'll be on the straight coming in from West Haddon, or coming up the hill from the motorway.
Sadly, I think that the 'partnerships' stir up public feeling in order to get their support, and then don't deal with the specific issues that people are really bothered about. Stick a camera outside the school - I'll vote for that.
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