UK - Speed watch device has opposite effect on traffic
Speed watch device has opposite effect on traffic
By Jen Rivett
Comment
SAFETY chiefs have axed a scheme to reduce motorists' speeds after they found vehicles were being driven faster when it was in operation.
Last November and this March, volunteers in Hook took it in turns to operate a Speed Induction Device (SID) to record motorists' speeds in Griffin Way South.
The device measured the speed of each vehicle and flashed it up for public viewing.
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However, Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Constabulary have decided not to run any further community speed watch schemes, which were piloted in four villages during a 12-month period.
A meeting of police and council officers decided not to pursue the £25,000 project after it was found that motorists' speeds actually increased during the trial.
Speeds recorded a week before SID was installed were 39.6mph in the 30mph road. However, the following week, when SID was visible, the average speed was 44mph and 43.6mph in the three weeks that volunteers operated the device. After the scheme, the average speeds went down to 37.8.
Councillor Antony Hunter, chairman of Hook Parish Council, said: "It was disappointing that the speeds didn't come down significantly.
"It was expensive to run as a pilot scheme and the difficulty was that they had to change the battery once a week, so two people had to come out from Winchester."
He added: "I am very glad we did it because if you don't try something, you never know.
"We were considering the possibility of buying one, but what we got was a trial showing that it wouldn't be cost effective."
The parish council says it has no fresh ideas to combat speeding in the village.
10:00am Sunday 2nd December 2007
