LETTER: Would you prefer a fine?

May I respond to James Penfold’s letter regarding Community Speed Watch volunteers and the role they play in community life.

Firstly the programme is about educating the motorist to drive not only within speed limits, but also to drive safely through our villages and ultimately to save lives.

All our volunteers receive the same training any police officers/PCSOs using a similar device and wear yellow high visibility vests for their own safety.

Whichever speed limit you are in, and we only check 30 and 40 limits, motorists are allowed a ten per cent discretion plus 2mph, so in a 30 limit we would only record vehicles travelling at 35mph and higher, however to allow for any discrepancies we add another 1mph.

If Mr Penfold was recorded whilst in a 30 limit he must have been travelling at least at 36mph, and if he was in a 40 limit, he again must have been travelling at 47mph or higher.

We have over the past few months noticed motorists who travel through Weston and Weston Hills are generally abiding by the speed limits, as recorded numbers have been lower at the sites we visit.

One last this for Mr Penfold to consider, if as he states police officers only should deal with speeding motorists, then he should be aware that had he been caught by a police officer he would have been issued with a fixed penalty ticket of £100 and three points on his licence, which he would then have to declare to his Insurance company and face a higher premium on renewal.

I would have assumed that letter from Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) is better than receiving a hefty fine and points on your licence which can have graver consequences.

Chris Dicks
CSW Co-Ordinator
Weston Parish Council