Twenty-five years of Community SpeedWatch: Recognising the volunteers driving road safety 

Community SpeedWatch volunteers came together at Portishead HQ last Sunday (1 November) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the road safety initiative in Avon and Somerset. 

The event, which marked exactly a quarter of a century since its launch on 1 November 2001 in the south Somerset village of Ash, recognised the dedication of thousands of volunteers who have helped make our roads safer. 

A cohort of volunteers were thanked in person by Chief Constable Sarah Crew, Police and Crime Commissioner Clare Moody and Superintendent Steph McKenna, before enjoying a performance from the Male Voice Choir and displays from our police dog and drone teams.

In the words of our Chief Constable: “Community SpeedWatch is not really a story about speed cameras, high-vis jackets or spreadsheets. It is a story about people who care about the places where they live, and who are prepared to do something about it.” 

What is Community SpeedWatch? 

Community SpeedWatch enables local people to play an active role in road safety by monitoring vehicle speeds during high-visibility roadside sessions. It aims to reduce average traffic speeds, lower the number and severity of road casualties, and support wider efforts to prevent fatal and serious injury collisions.  

Drivers who are caught speeding through the scheme may receive warning letters, while persistent or high-end offenders can be subject to further police action. 

At present, there are more than 1,200 serving Avon and Somerset Community SpeedWatch members with 169 local schemes in towns, villages and neighbourhoods. Together, volunteers monitor more than one million vehicles each year. 

Volunteer impact: “We’re doing something worthwhile for our community” 

In the run-up to the event, we asked a few Somerset-based volunteers about their motivations for getting involved. 

“I get no pleasure from catching speeders, but I do feel our presence reminds them that they need to check their speed more often, and in our own way we are making a contribution to making streets safer,” remarks Tony, volunteer in the Somerset village of Curry Rivel. 

Five miles north in the village of Aller, co-ordinator Lea agreed: “We are not here to catch everyone; we are here to make them aware that there is a speed limit through our village and to respect other road users.” 

As volunteering roles go, it’s not the easiest and can sometimes feel like a thankless task. Yet any challenge our volunteers receive is frequently balanced by warmth and support from motorists and residents alike. 

Tony said: “We get motorists who give us the thumbs up and occasionally we get the odd derogatory gesture or expletive, but we tend to laugh these off.” 

Fellow volunteer Sue added: “We do get quite a few positive waves, thumbs up, smiles, which adds to the knowledge that we’re doing something worthwhile for our community.” 

Mudford’s co-ordinator, Phil, offered the anecdote: “A lady in the village used to say to me, ‘I know when you are doing SpeedWatch, I can turn my telly down!’” In his village, anti-social traffic noise is just as much of a concern as high speeds and traffic volumes. 

From just a few conversations, the unwavering commitment of Community SpeedWatch volunteers is clear to see. 

John, Curry Rivel’s co-ordinator, mentioned the early starts in the summer – with some weekday shifts beginning at six in the morning during the commuter rush. “We consider it a good day if we record only one or two speeding vehicles. There have been days when we recorded more than 12 speeding incidents in a single session. The highest speed ever recorded was 85 mph in a 30-mph restricted zone.” 

While in Mudford, Phil reveals the scheme’s positive impact: “Recorded speeders in the 30-mph zone early in the morning is 45 per cent plus on average. While carrying out SpeedWatch at the same time of day, this figure reduced to 9 per cent and greatly reduced the high-end speeders. This is a massive reduction of speeding vehicles.” 

The village has sadly seen more than one serious road traffic collision over the years, including the tragic loss of young lives. It serves as a constant reminder why tackling speeding – one of the ‘Fatal Five’ behaviours and most reported road safety concerns within local communities – is so important.  

Kym Booker, Force Community SpeedWatch Administrator, said: “Having worked closely with our Community SpeedWatch volunteers, I see first-hand just how much time, effort and enthusiasm they put into making their communities safer. They are incredibly passionate about what they do, and it’s lovely to have the opportunity to recognise and celebrate their contribution. Without our volunteers, Community SpeedWatch simply wouldn’t exist, and I can’t thank them enough.” 

In her address to volunteers at Sunday’s event, Chief Constable Sarah Crew said: “I want you to know that we see and value what you do. You are part of our policing family. 

“You provide information and intelligence from our communities, you help us identify repeat and higher-end speeding, and your presence in our communities supports our wider work to reduce harm and keep our roads safer. 

“You also demonstrate something important about policing: keeping people safe is something we do with communities, not simply for them.” 

If you’re interested in joining an existing Community SpeedWatch group or setting up a new scheme, you can find further information on our webpage: Community SpeedWatch | Avon and Somerset Police