CREDITON and District Community Speedwatch now has a new banner to help it to appeal for more volunteers to help reduce speeding in and around the town and in local villages.

Crediton Town Council applied for grant funding from Devon County Council through the Locality Fund allocation of the County Councillor for Crediton, Frank Letch.

Cllr Letch, who has previously been a volunteer with the Crediton Community Speedwatch, said he was pleased to support the request for funding and attended a recent hand-over of the banner and other items to Crediton Town Clerk, Mrs Rachel Avery and Community Speedwatch volunteer Bob Wright.

Crediton Town Council applied for the funding on behalf of Crediton Community Speedwatch.

Mr Letch said that he would be taking the banner to some Crediton events and to villages in the areas where speeding is an issue to appeal for more people to become Community Volunteers.

Mr Wright thanked Mr Letch for his support.

He said that anyone who was worried about speeding vehicles or wanted to do something for their community would be welcomed as a Speedwatch Community Volunteer.

Mr Wright explained: “We want to make our neighbourhoods safer and more enjoyable to live in.

“Volunteers are invited to step forward to help.

“Community Speedwatch aims to educate drivers about the dangers of speeding and the nuisance it causes in the community where they offend.

“This does not exclude the possibility of direct Police intervention if the message is not fully understood.”

A report by Crediton volunteers last year found that in a short period of time a total of 103 speeding offence records were handled automatically and passed on to the local Police for further action. ?The volunteers also found that the maximum speed recorded in a 30mph zone was 55mph, but six records of excessive speeding (more than 50 per cent above the allowed limit) were flagged up for special attention.

Two vehicles were recorded as multiple offenders; details of these vehicles were passed on to the Road Traffic Policing Departments, where they will be kept for 12 months.

During the same time period, the Crediton group recorded six vehicles with no tax and four vehicles with no MOT.

Those driving without an MOT are committing a criminal offence and those without tax could face a court appearance and a fine.?Two vehicles were also being driven after being declared on a Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN), showing that there is a percentage of the population who do not care for the safety and security of other road users.

If you would like to volunteer, please note that anyone over 18 can join and there is no upper age restriction.

If you are interested, or want more details, please contact Bob Wright on 01363 773566 or email: [email protected] .

Look out for the volunteers on local roads in the near future.