'It's like the Wild West' - how five villages are tackling speeding motorists
A Speed Watch volunteer takes aim at a motorist - Credit: Archant
Nearly 1,000 motorists were caught speeding through five villages in the Great Yarmouth area by volunteers in 2021, new figures show.
A Freedom of Information request shows Community Speed Watch groups across Norfolk, predominantly in small towns and villages, captured 15,225 motorists over the speed limit in 2021 - the equivalent of 41 every day.
Speed Watch teams are not empowered to issue fines to speeding drivers.
Speed Watch volunteers operate in five villages in the Great Yarmouth area - Credit: Archant
Registered vehicle owners whose vehicles are clocked breaking the speed limit have their details recorded and receive a warning letter requesting they keep their speed down.
A breakdown of the figures for the Great Yarmouth area shows Fritton's Community Speed Watch group captured 517 speeding motorists on its monitoring devices in 2021, with warning letters being sent to drivers.
In Filby 201 motorists were caught speeding, in Burgh Castle the volunteer team caught 150 speeding drivers, in Fleggburgh 79 cases were reported and in Ludham there were 31 warning letters sent out.
John Stevens is a parish councillor at Fritton and runs the village's Speed Watch team.
He said speeding is so common along the A143 30mph zone that only reports of over 40mph are sent onto the police.
The A143 closed after another crash by Fritton - Credit: Anthony Carroll
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Mr Stevens said: "It is like the Wild West. Crashes are something that happen on a regular basis.
"The problem is there is no enforcement here. Drivers think we are in the wrong and they are in the right. We have been abused."
Wendy Griffiths runs the Speed Watch volunteers in Burgh Castle.
Mill Road in Burgh Castle. A car was seen driving at 62mph down there. - Credit: Archant
She lives on Mill Road and said in one "drastic case" she had recorded one motorist driving at 62mph in the 30mph speed limit zone.
Labelling speeding motorist as "irresponsible" she said: "I think that people don't think about residents of villages.
"I don't drive at breakneck speeds through other villages, so why should they?"
Brian Swan, chairman of Burgh Castle Parish Castle, said: "There is an issue with speeding on the three main roads, Butt Lane, the High Road and Mill Road.
"People coming from Belton use them as a rat run."
Chief constable of Norfolk Police Paul Sanford said the constabulary is exploring how to better use the information passed to them by Community Speed Watch groups to target hot-spots where speeding is rife.
