Cheshire police and crime commissioner David Keane insists a clampdown on speeding motorists is not about catching people out or revenue-raising.
Mr Keane said the anti-speeding initiative reflected the community's priorities but the emphasis was on education more than enforcement.
On Thursday (July 26) the PCC met Boughton residents behind a successful campaign to usher in a 20mph limit across Cheshire West's residential areas as PCSO Joe Harris used a speed indicator in Stocks Lane, with advisory letters sent to transgressors.
Mr Keane said: “The point of this isn’t to catch people out, it’s to ensure more compliance and keeping the roads safe. From my perception, it’s not revenue-raising. Of course, money does come in from fines but you will probably recognise as well that within certain limits people are offered speed awareness courses.
“Those kind of fines go to pay for those speed awareness courses. My big push with this is changing Cheshire’s culture towards speeding.”
He continued: “We are not out enforcing today, giving tickets out. This is educational and the whole point of delivering a priority within our communities is to prevent speeding to keep our roads safe. Now, from time to time enforcement will be necessary if people are breaking the law and breaking the speed limit and not keeping their community safe.”
Wyn Holroyd, who led the 20’s Plenty campaign locally, was delighted Labour-led Cheshire West and Chester Council adopted the 20mph limit in residential areas. Although she and fellow campaigner Cathy Harrington would ideally like the whole of the Chester urban area to have a 20mph limit instead of a default 30mph position to avoid any confusion.
Wyn stressed the difference in travel times across Chester between going at 20mph instead of 30mph amounted to mere ‘seconds’.
More about speeding issues in the area
Talking about the particular issues in Stocks Lane, she added: “Stocks Lane is a rat run and at leaving for work and school time, it’s a very different road. We have a lot of school children and lot of people leaving for work because we have the new Saighton Camp housing just up the road.”
