Officers’ listen to community concerns around speeding

Twenty-eight motorists were caught speeding during a special operation organised by Northamptonshire Police in response to community concerns.

Members of the East Northants Neighbourhood Policing and Safer Roads Teams, carried out the speed checks on the B645 between Higham Ferrers and St Neots in Bedfordshire last week (September 5/6).

In total, 40 motoring offences were detected on the county’s section of the road, including a motorcyclist who was clocked riding at 101mph in a 60mph national speed limit zone.

While five drivers were caught exceeding a restricted speed zone limit of 30mph, with the highest speed recorded at 46mph, and one motorist was reported for failing to stop for police, careless driving and had their vehicle recovered.

One driver received a Section 59 warning for driving in an anti-social manner, and a further four were reported for not wearing a seat belt, four for other minor traffic offences and two for driving a car without a valid MOT.

Speeding, along with drink/drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone at the wheel, makes up the fatal four offences, which are often recorded as a contributory factors in road collisions.

East Northants Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant, Leigh Francoise Goodwin, said:
“This operation was set up after concerns were raised by the local community that the B645 was becoming a race track, after the road had been advertised on some motorcycle websites as a good stretch of road to ride.

“Knowing sections of the road between Higham Ferrers and St Neots are listed as red routes after a number of fatal road collisions, we carried out the speed checks in partnership with our colleagues in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.

“Speed is often recorded as a contributory factor in road collisions and anything we can do to reduce the likelihood or severity of one occurring is of an obvious benefit to all road users.

“The message is simple – slow down and save lives! The faster you drive or ride the less time you have to react and you are putting not only your life at risk, but also the lives of other road users.”

Reducing the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on the county’s road is one of the Force’s policing priorities. Last year in Northamptonshire, 42 people were killed, and a further 347 were seriously injured.

ENDS