You will not be surprised to learn that speeding traffic on the roads of Lapworth is one of the topics that is frequently brought to the attention and discussed at monthly Lapworth Parish Council meetings.
The Parish Council have previously commissioned several speeding surveys at various sites, which have highlighted the extent of the problem within the village. The results of these surveys and our responses can be accessed here on the Parish Council website.
Thankfully, Lapworth has not had any serious injuries caused by speeding traffic over a period of many years and therefore, Warwickshire County Council, who are responsible for speeding issues, understandably will apply their limited road safety budget to those areas where the most serious injury blackspots have been identified. Having said that, Lapworth already has just about the highest number of speed limit warning signs of any village in Warwickshire. Also, the County Council have recently paid for the “Welcome to Lapworth 30mph” gate sign, near to The Boot.
Whilst being thankful that Lapworth has not suffered serious injury or fatalities, speeding remains a significant issue that requires our best efforts to address. To that end, local residents, in partnership with The Police and supported by the Parish Council have set up Lapworth Community Speed Watch.
Whilst there have been unavoidable delays due to the Covid pandemic, we are happy to report that a good number of residents have now been trained and safety checked by the Police and have already carried out several speed-monitoring sessions around the village. You may well have seen groups in high-vis jackets, brandishing the hand-held speed cameras at various times over the last few weeks.
Speed Watch activity is not about interfering with the rights of motorists, but more about the safety and quality of life aspects of local residents. With that in mind, motorists who are caught speeding will initially receive a letter from the Police explaining the potential risks and consequences of their speeding behaviour. Further offences recorded anywhere in the county will trigger a visit from the Police and the most serious breaches may lead to enforcement and prosecution.
We hope that residents will support this initiative and welcome efforts to reduce speeding in our village.
If you would be interested in volunteering with the Speed Watch group, please make initial contact with the Clerk at Lapworth Parish Council (clerk@lapworthpc.org.uk)
Nigel Manley
