Radar gun volunteers catch 600 motorists

Almost 600 motorists have been caught speeding in Stafford and surrounding villages in the last 18 months by volunteers armed with radar guns, it emerged today.

The drivers, collared by Community Speedwatch groups, received warning letters – escaping fines totalling £36,000. Twenty Speedwatch groups are currently operating across the county, with nine in the Stafford area.

A total of 1,577 drivers received warning letters, including 598 in the county town, between April 2010 and September 2011.

While members are trained to use police-issue radar guns, they have no power to hand out fines.

Speedwatch groups typically monitor traffic at pre-identified locations over two-hour sessions. Whenever they catch a speeding motorist they take down the car's registration, as well as the make, model, colour and direction of travel.

The information is passed on to Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership, which sends a letter to the driver.

If the motorist is caught again they will receive a final warning letter and the area may be subjected to mobile camera enforcement.

If a driver is caught a third time, the police will carry out a background check on the vehicle and the owner will be visited in person by officers.

County council highways chief Councillor Mike Maryon said today: "A lot of this success is due to the community taking the scheme to heart.

"The impact that the volunteers have, acting as a deterrent simply by being there or issuing warning letters to motorists caught flouting the law, could be potentially life-saving."

Community speedwatch is well-established in Stafford, which sent out 38 per cent of the county's total warning letters.

Lichfield also has a long-running scheme and the neighbouring villages of Armitage and Handsacre, near Rugeley, set up a similar scheme 18 months ago following concerns about speeding on the busy A513 Kings Bromley Lane and B5014 Uttoxeter Road.