What is Community Speed Watch (CSW)?
Community Speed Watch (CSW) is a national initiative where proactive members of local communities are trained by the police to record details of speeding vehicles using handheld speed detection equipment. Speed Watch monitoring sessions are undertaken at sites located within 20, 30 and 40mph areas only. Prior to use, each site has been individually assessed by trained police staff to ensure it meets our safety standards for that location.
Volunteers are highly visible to passing motorists to encourage drivers to be more speed aware when driving through the location.
Registered keepers of vehicles recorded exceeding the speed limit are contacted – initially with a letter – explaining the potential risks and consequences of their dangerous behaviour. Repeat offenders may receive a visit from local police. Collated evidence of continual excessive speeding will lead to more focused enforcement and criminal prosecutions.
CSW online operates nationally supporting police and communities to organise and join up Speed Watch activity. It provides a website for the registration of CSW volunteers and provides them with initial online CSW training. The data CSW groups record is submitted online and shared with local police for any further action to be taken. Please see our ‘How to Join’ page for more details.
Why is it important?
It's a sad fact that each year an average of 28,000 people are killed or seriously injured on the roads in the UK - and research has shown that speed is a major contributory factor. Driving even a small amount above the speed limit, or driving too fast in poor weather conditions, increases the risk of causing a crash. It also increases the likelihood of those involved sustaining serious or fatal injuries.
In Devon & Cornwall, local community groups - including CSW teams - are working alongside statutory organisations to form the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership. The partnership has set an ambitious target of reducing all fatal and serious collisions on Devon & Cornwall's roads by 50% by 2030 – and eventually to zero. We are doing this to ensure that communities and families just like yours do not suffer the tragedy and heartbreak that come with all other road traffic collisions.
Working together, we believe we can eradicate death and serious injuries from our roads and make Devon & Cornwall a safer, healthier place to live, work and travel. We need help from motorists like you to do this. It is not inevitable or acceptable that anyone should be killed or seriously injured when travelling in Devon & Cornwall. All we are asking of you is, in future, you modify your driving behaviour and comply with the speed limit and the conditions of the road.