Road safety campaigners in Billingshurst issue appeal for help

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Road safety campaigners in Billingshurst are issuing an appeal for help.

Members of Billingshurst Speedwatch want more people to to come forward to help to increase their presence monitoring traffic in the village.

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Road safety specialist Eric Bonner, lead co-coordinator of Billingshurst Speedwatch – a joint initiative of Billingshurst Parish Council and Sussex Police – said: “We only have a small number of Speedwatch volunteers at present and we try to cover all the speed sites in Billingshurst.

"We monitor the speed of local traffic at least once and sometimes twice a week, but with so many sites and having so few volunteers means we are spread a bit thin.”

Road safety campaigners in Billingshurst have issued an appeal for helpRoad safety campaigners in Billingshurst have issued an appeal for help
Road safety campaigners in Billingshurst have issued an appeal for help

He explained that Speedwatch operators were not law enforcers, but more like road safety volunteers. Errant motorists merely receive a letter of advice and are never prosecuted, he said.

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He added: “The vast majority of motorists applaud our efforts to reduce traffic accidents. A few complain, but this is often because they think we are connected with the council or highways authority. Their main complaint is either about pot holes or unattended road works with temporary traffic lights.”

Excess speed is regularly shown to be a significant cause in the vast majority of accidents, said Eric. He said anyone who could spare an hour a month would be welcome to join Speedwatch.

Volunteers can join the local group by going online at www.communityspeedwatch.org and clicking on the ‘register’ icon and follow the joining instructions.

Alternatively people can contact the group administrator for further information by telephoning 07768 081745

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