Speed watch signs installed around Staffordshire

The news comes after 27 people died after crashes in the county and 202 were seriously injured last year.

Staffordshire Police's Community Speed Watch has teams of volunteers across the county giving up their own time to monitor speed levels in their local community and providing information to the police.

Currently temporary signage is put out warning drivers that their speeds are being monitored, but now permanent signage has been installed in 40 locations across the county to warn drivers. Further locations will be added in 2019.

Michelle Shaker, Community Speed Watch coordinator for Staffordshire Police, said: "Feedback we have received suggested that drivers were only adhering to speed limits when they saw the signs. With permanent signs in place, hopefully drivers will adhere at all times, as their speeds could be monitored at any time without further notice.

"In the last year we had 27 people die following a road traffic collision and a further 202 seriously injured. Speed is a contributory factor in a significant number of collisions including nearly a quarter of fatal collisions, so it is imperative people follow the speed limit to keep themselves and others safe on our roads."

When a vehicle is caught speeding, the details of that vehicles are recorded and submitted to the police, who then write to the registered keeper warning them of the dangers of speeding.

Community Speed Watch was set up to improve road safety in communities where there are concerns about the speed of traffic. The scheme is supported by Staffordshire Police and the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership. Residents who are trained by officers stand by the roadside and monitor speeds of vehicles using a hand held radar device.