COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH COMES TO STORRINGTON! 

Press Release

On 26^th October 2011 the Storrington & Sullington Parish Council approved a proposal to set up a Community Speedwatch Scheme in the village.

The Storrington Scheme is set to be only the 2^nd such initiative in Sussex, after Ringmer, and is a partnership between the Police, Parish Council and local volunteers. The volunteers are trained by the Police, and monitor the speed of traffic using laser equipment purchased with the funds raised.

The objective of the Scheme is to improve driver behaviour, through education, and thus to improve road safety for all residents of Storrington.

Cars travelling over the speed limit are logged by the volunteers, and details sent to Sussex Police for action. The Community Partnership’s Traffic Action Team has found that the average daily traffic through Storrington is 18,000 per day. In March 2011 between 50% and 80% of all vehicles exceeded the 30mph limit on the three main roads in and out of Storrington.   

The overall cost of the scheme is £3000, of which £2,000 is for the laser device, hi-viz jackets and other equipment, the remainder being Police officer time to train volunteers, risk assess the sites to be used, and calibrate and maintain the equipment. The Parish Council has granted £500 to start the scheme off, and the Community Partnership has agreed to match their figure.

The local residents who founded the scheme are now recruiting volunteers as speed monitors, and working hard to raise the main part of the funds before the scheme can begin.