Worthen with Shelve Parish Council Speed watch Team in Brockton and Worthen
Vehicles travelling at speeds in excess of the posted speed signs continue to be of great concern to the councillors and members of the community. The speed watch monitoring team was started by the Parish Council following a public meeting with the Local Member which was attended by over 50 local residents. The public meeting was held in response to the large number of complaints received by Heather Kidd and the parish council about the volume, size and speed of vehicles travelling through the villages. The parish council purchased a speed recording device and a team of volunteers was put together to monitor speeds in safe locations. The volunteers ARE insured by the Parish Council and the local Police ARE aware of the team and the locations used.
This team have been giving up their time to monitor the speed of vehicles through the village.
The Council are shocked and dismayed by the open hostility and threats the volunteers have suffered whilst monitoring the traffic through the villages.
It is with regret that this parish council has taken the decision to suspend the activities of the Worthen and Brockton Speed watch team for the foreseeable future. This decision was not taken lightly. In March 2019, the team were subject to a very vitriolic social media campaign and threatening behaviour. On another occasion, a member of the public called the police using 999, a police officer arrived at the scene with blue lights flashing. The police had been asked to attend a potentially serious incident which involved people obstructing the highway and acting in a dangerous manner. Following an initial on site investigation, the police officer advised the member of the public that they were wasting police time.
• On 5th March 2019 between 08.00 and 09.00 a total of 28 speeding vehicles were recorded, 7 were travelling between 40 – 45 mph.
• On 8th March 2019 between 08.00 and 09.00 a total of 12 speeding vehicles were recorded and only one was travelling at 41 mph.
• On 18th March 2019 between 08.00 and 09.00 at total of 20 speeding vehicles were recorded and 4 were travelling between 41 and 47 mph.
• The team has reported that throughout monitoring at least 20% of vehicles exceeding the speed limit are travelling at 40 mph and above with a speed of 52 mph in August 2018.
Speeding through Worthen and Brockton has been identified as a PACT and Community Forum priority and active speed enforcement operations are underway in the area by West Mercia Police (Camera Van.) As this area has active speed enforcement it does not meet the criteria to operate a Community Speed Watch scheme in partnership with the Police.
The Parish Council would like to thank all the Volunteers for there all their hard work in giving their time to this community safety initiative. The Parish Council continue to be very concerned by the disregard some motorists display by travelling at excessive speed through the villages and the increased risk to the safety of all members of the community particularly the children and elderly. The Parish Council is in discussion with the Police to have a stronger speed monitoring in the villages.

FOR AND ON BEHALF OF WORTHEN WITH SHELVE PARISH COUNCIL