DEVON and Cornwall Police are calling on residents in the Liskeard area to help put the brakes on speeding motorists in their communities.

Concerns have been raised locally about excess speeding through towns and villages across South East Cornwall and now a campaign has been launched to try and recruit more volunteers to join the Community Speedwatch scheme.

The aim of the scheme is to educate drivers, save lives and reduce injuries on the road, whilst at the same time improve the quality of life for local communities.

Trained volunteers, supported by local police, monitor local routes with speed detection devices to highlight the dangers of driving too fast. Speeding drivers are reported to police and those who repeatedly flout the law can be prosecuted.

The scheme has already been in operation in recent weeks in the village of St Ive, where it has already had an impact with a drop of more than 50 per cent in speeds recorded during their monitoring sessions.

Volunteers monitored the A390 for an hour, registering the speeds of 320 motorists, nine of whom were exceeding the 30mph limit, one at 40mph and one at 48mph.

Liskeard Police Community Support Officer, Steve Edser, who joined volunteers in St Ive, said: “Residents tell us that speeding is still one of their biggest concerns and we know that this is certainly a major contributor to collisions on our roads.

“In St Ive speeding was very prevalent until regular Speedwatch sessions educated drivers to think about slowing down. This latest session demonstrates that while a handful of drivers were still intent on exceeding the speed limit, the vast majority were travelling at a safe speed.

“Our volunteers are doing an amazing job and just show how community minded people can make a real difference in making our roads safer.”

The Community Speedwatch scheme covers from East Taphouse and Doublebois to St Ive and Pensilva to Widegates. Recruits are also need for Stoke Climsland, near Callington.

For more information about schemes in your area and how to volunteer, visit the Community Speedwatch section at www.devon-cornwall.police.uk