Police and residents who teamed up to tackle speeding through a North Herts village have successfully reduced the average speed of traffic to within the 30mph speed limit.

A combined effort of a Community DriveSafe scheme and police speed enforcement in Barley has seen average speeds (northbound) fall from 39mph to 30 mph in four years. (Southbound: 37mph in 2011 to 29mph in 2015).

The Police and Crime Commissioner, David Lloyd, who set up Community DriveSafe in 2013 said: “This result proves just how effective communities can be when they are determined to tackle a local issue.  I congratulate everyone involved on their success in reducing the speed of passing traffic.

“DriveSafe is a powerful way for local people to become actively involved in making where they live an even safer place, working in partnership with their local police to really make a difference.  I hope this success encourages others who are thinking of starting their own scheme where they live.” 

Community DriveSafe is a speed awareness scheme run by volunteers with equipment funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner and training, support and safety advice provided by the local police Safer Neighbourhood Team.  DriveSafe will continued to be supported by the recently-announced Road Safety Fund: http://www.hertscommissioner.org/2015-09-commissioner-to-create-1million-road-safety-fund-for-hertfordshire  

Anyone can start a scheme on a Hertfordshire road with a 30mph limit; they just need to gather a minimum of ten signatures of support and at least two lead volunteers to administrate the scheme. For further information please visit: http://www.hertscommissioner.org/community-drivesafe-scheme-hertfordshire

Sergeant Guy Westwood, who leads the Royston Rural Safer Neighbourhood Team that covers Barley, has been working with residents to tackle speeding, which has been an on –going issue for Barley for many years.

He said: “The B1368 has been used for years as a rat run or bypass by some motorists wanting to avoid the traffic on the A10 and by others as a racetrack.

“Residents have reported many near misses as well as some actual collisions but the main issue is the real fear that speeding vehicles bring to people living along the road and using the pavements.

“As this stretch of road does not qualify for speed calming or safety cameras because of the low numbers of actual collisions, the only option is for police enforcement, whenever possible, and for residents to step up and take action, as they have done.”

In 2011 a six-day round-the-clock covert traffic survey, using recording equipment, revealed that there were 11,407 vehicle movements.  The average northbound speed was 39 mph in the 30mph zone, with southbound traffic recording an average speed of 37mph.

Following SpeedWatch campaigns, police speed enforcement and, more recently, Community DriveSafe awareness events, an identical survey in July 2015 showed 14,169 vehicles passing through in seven days, with an average northbound speed of 30mph and southbound - 29 mph.