PCC launches new, smaller speed enforcement van

A new community speed enforcement van has been launched in the county and Police and Crime Commissioner, Tim Passmore met with County Councillor Mary Evans in Clare recently to see it in action.

The van is being funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Police and Suffolk County Council, with money generated from the speed awareness courses attended by drivers who have been caught speeding. A second van funded by the police budget will be launched later this month.

PCC, Tim Passmore said, “I am delighted to introduce this new speed enforcement resource in the county.

“Speeding is a very controversial issue right across the county and one of the main topics of concern of people contacting my office. One thing that has come through loud and clear is that people want to see enforcement in our towns and villages, in areas where lower speed limits are in place, where they feel safety is a real issue.

“These small vans will be deployed in areas where parking the larger camera van is not practical, and specifically placed in areas where there is local concern.”

The vans will focus primarily on those sites right across Suffolk where local communities have raised speeding issues – either via complaints, parish councils, Community Speedwatch data or from information from the Constabulary’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams. The new, smaller vans are able to access sites where the traditional safety camera vans are too big to enforce – thus increasing the range of areas which can be targeted. The vans are Fiesta vans and the officers will use mobile equipment away from the vans when enforcing at 30, 40 and 50mph sites.

This van and its operator are being funded from the Driver Diversionary Fund, which comes from motorists who have taken part in speed awareness courses. Most drivers caught speeding are offered a speed awareness course, approximately £20 of this goes into road safety in the county, the rest pays for the course.

If a local community would like to see the van deployed in their area they can find out if their request falls within the enforcement criteria by e-mailing the PCC’s office at spcc@suffolk.pnn.police.uk. The request will be passed on to the Safety Camera Enforcement Team for their attention.