Chichester road safety scheme to expand thanks to funding boost

Community Speed Watch (CSW) already has around 300 volunteers and fifty registered groups in the Chichester District, who give their spare time to calm traffic in their local communities.

Now Chichester Neighbourhood Policing Team has purchased five new speed monitoring device starter kits and is training new groups of volunteers to increase roadside sessions and launch the scheme in additional locations in the district.

The speed-calming kits have been funded through the Chichester Joint Action Group (JAG) and will be loaned to newly vetted and trained volunteer groups to be deployed at safe, risk-assessed locations.

PCSO Jason Lemm from Chichester’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, who manages the volunteer groups, said: “Our CSW volunteers make a real difference to their communities, helping to calm traffic speed, prevent accidents and save lives.

“These new kits mean more roads and neighbourhoods can take this roadside preventative action.

“We already have new groups of volunteers who have registered their interest, and I am really looking forward to training them at the end of this month when we resume it post-lockdown.”

Pam Bushby from the Chichester Joint Action Group (JAG) said: “Road safety is a priority for the Chichester Community Safety Partnership and it is all our responsibilities to ensure people are kept safe on the road.

“We are very grateful to all the volunteers who support Community Speedwatch schemes and the JAG partners felt it was a very important to support their efforts with the funding.”

Anyone interested in finding out about CSW schemes in their area or starting or joining a current CSW volunteer group can find out more information on the Community Speedwatch website. A

ll volunteers must be over 18.