Help tackle speeding in north east Fife

Are you fed up with cars and lorries speeding through the streets of your town or village?

Community Police Officers in north east Fife are urging locals to join the Community Speed Watch scheme and help catch motorists breaking the speed limit.

Officers in St Andrews and Cupar are running the project throughout north east Fife.

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Volunteers act as high-visibility deterrents, encouraging motorists to reduce their speed and be more careful.

The volunteers are trained to use equipment that can monitor how fast vehicles are travelling, then note the registration if the driver is going above the limit.

The records are then forwarded to Police Scotland, which writes to the keepers advising them of their speed and reminding them to obey the limits.

Residents in Dunshalt, Gateside, Freuchie, Guardbridge, Strathkinness and Cupar are among those who have signed up to take part.

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James Kenyon, a member of the Freuchie team, which has seven members, helps monitor Freuchie Mill Road and East End.

“You live in the village,” James explained. “You need to help keep it safe. There are a lot of school children and we tend to feel that people ignore the 20mph speed limit. This is a good way of slowing them down.”

Donald Adey, a Cupar community councillor, added: “Speed kills – there is no doubt about it. If people are respecting the speed limits, you’re reducing the injuries, you’re reducing the deaths. Most people understand that, but they can be foolish at times.”

MP Stephen Gethins said: “This is a fantastic initiative. Speeding in built up areas, villages and towns in north east Fife is something people bring to my attention on a regular basis.

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“I think the police do what they can, but it is fantastic to see local volunteers helping out as well. Hopefully it will reduce speeds and make our streets safer.”

PC Phil Parker said: “We are very grateful to the people who have already volunteered, but we are always looking for additional members of the public to assist, so that this initiative can be fully supported throughout north east Fife.

“This is a great way in which local people can come together in order to promote road safety within our rural villages and we encourage all communities concerned about speeding to support this initiative.”

Anyone interested in joining a speed watch team should contact their local police station by calling 101.