Police Commissioner funds ‘black boxes’ to support new Community Speedwatch Schemes

As part of his commitment to keeping all road users safe, Police and Crime Commissioner, Jason Ablewhite is funding Speed Data Recorders to help communities support the police in tackling speeding.

Funded through the Casualty Reduction Fund, the Speed Data Recorders, also known as black boxes, monitor traffic volume, vehicle type and speeds to help build up a profile of village traffic which in turn provides local intelligence for communities wishing to set up Speedwatch schemes.

The boxes have so far been set up in two village locations.

Casualty Reduction Officer for Cambridgeshire Constabulary, PC Jon Morris explains:

“The boxes allow us to assess if there is a problem, what that problem might be and when it might be occurring so that we can look at what resources to best deploy and work, where relevant with other agencies to help resolve problems. I would like to re-assure motorists that the device does not record personal information or number plates. It is purely there to help us.”

Police and Crime Commissioner, Jason Ablewhite has invested in a number of speed data recorders to empower local volunteer groups to take action in their own communities.

The Commissioner explains:

“The Casualty Reduction team use the recorders to collect meaningful data which is used to either inform the Roads Policing Team to do some extra patrols or for the wider Road Safety Partnership to look at longer term interventions. It works brilliantly alongside our county Speedwatch campaigns as well as informing wider data.”

If speeding is something that you are concerned about and you are interested in setting up a Speedwatch scheme, please visit: www.speedwatch.info/

Each request is looked at on an individual basis before the equipment is deployed to ensure the site is suited to the data capture.