MORE than 20 volunteer groups are taking to roads in York and across North Yorkshire today as part of a campaign to reduce speeding.

It is the county’s biggest ever turnout of Community Speed Watch groups on a single day.

Volunteers will be using a number of approaches, including monitoring speeds and providing high-visibility deterrents, to encourage motorists to observe speed limits and drive carefully in villages, suburbs and other residential areas.

They are supported by North Yorkshire Police’s safety camera vans, which are being deployed to several locations to work alongside volunteers.

The deployments mark a nationwide campaign by TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, to reduce speeding.

Jamie Smith, of North Yorkshire Police’s Traffic Bureau, said: “Today’s record turnout sends a clear message to motorists that communities welcome careful drivers but will not tolerate speeding, careless driving or other behaviour that needlessly puts lives at risk.

“We’re extremely grateful to volunteers for the fantastic turnout today across 24 Community Speed Watch locations – it shows how much people care about this issue and support North Yorkshire Police’s attempts to tackle speeding.

“By working with us, they are helping us make our roads safer while also directly improving the places they live. It’s a win-win approach.”

Locations where groups have been deployed include Bishopthorpe Road and Burton Stone Lane in York, Rufforth west of York, Barlow and Kelfield near Selby and Allerston, Sheriff Hutton, Scagglethorpe and Weaverthorpe in Ryedale.

North Yorkshire now has 69 Community Speed Watch groups, which monitor speeds, provide a highly-visible deterrent and pass on information to the police so offenders can be dealt with.

The main aim is to draw drivers’ attention to speed limits in areas where communities feel excessive speed is affecting their quality of life, and to educate them about the impact of their actions.

To find out more about how a Community Speed Watch group could be set up in your area, visit https://northyorkshire.police.uk/what-we-do/road-policing/community-speed-watch/