Speedwatchers: 'We want our children to feel safe'

"I had grandchildren at this school. It's about the safety of this community."

Jon Boyce is recording the speeds of drivers on the main road through the village of Fritwell, Oxfordshire, which has a 20mph (32km/h) limit.

During Tuesday morning's 30-minute session, just before drop-off time near the local primary school, one car has already been caught at 44mph (71km/h).

Mr Boyce said his group, Fritwell Community Speedwatch, was recording drivers so they can use the information to justify further speeding enforcements.

The group said speeding was a constant danger through the village's long, straight main road of East Street.

Rob, another group member, said about 25% of drivers are recorded going faster than 30mph (48km/h).

Last month, a speed of 49mph (79km/h) was recorded, which Rob described as "unacceptable and very dangerous".

"We want to make sure [the village's] children feel - and are - safe," he added.

The group's camera only logs the number plates of drivers doing 25mph (40km/h) or above, based on training and guidance they receive from Thames Valley Police.

If a driver is caught speeding by the camera, they will be sent a warning letter by police.

Any driver caught more than three times by the group could be prosecuted.

But Rob said he has seen negative reactions from some drivers.

"We do get one or two hand gestures as they drive past," he said. "But nothing more serious [than that]."

He said the group once heard the effects of one van driver slamming on their brakes upon noticing them.

"We've heard the sound of goods crashing from the rear of a van to the front," he said.

Last month it was revealed more than 100 fines were given to people who were caught speeding in 20mph (32km/h) zones across the Thames Valley in 2024.

It followed clarification from Oxfordshire County Council that these zones would be enforced by police, after the force had suggested it did not have the resources to do so.

The National Police Chief's Council, which coordinates the responses of different forces, said it was down to each force to enforce speeding laws based on their "consideration of risk and harm".

"Each force knows the complexities of their local area and therefore is best placed to make decisions about enforcement of speed limits," it said.

It added: "Nearly 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured on UK roads each year as a direct result of speeding and nearly all of those incidents are avoidable."

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