Chester residents’ association officially launch the first city-centre Community Speed Watch

Residents of one of Chester’s most historic streets, White Friars, are celebrating the official launch of the first city-centre Community Speed Watch

Road Safety Week 2021 – the UK’s biggest annual road safety awareness event – is taking place from15^th to 21^st November, with this year’s theme being road safety ‘Heroes’.

As part of the launch celebrations tomorrow – Wednesday 17^th between 10am and 3pm – will see Cheshire Fire and Rescue attend (with one of the city’s two fire engines and an Aerial Ladder Platform – Chester’s specialist appliance) to support residents during their launch week by engaging with, and educating, drivers about ongoing road safety campaigns, such as the ‘Fatal 5’ and ‘Share the Road’.

In 2020 more than 280 people were seriously injured on Cheshire’s roads – that’s more than five people per week and sadly 29 people lost their lives. Road Safety Week is the ideal time to promote respect between road users as traffic levels reach pre-pandemic levels. Pedestrians and cyclists are particularly at risk, and this is reflected in the Department for Transport’s 2021 updated Highway Code road hierarchy – due to be published by the end of the year – which will give pedestrians and cyclists greater priority over cars and other motor vehicles.

Road Safety Manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Station Manager Andy Gray said: “initiatives like this break down barriers and are a great way to meet the people behind the uniform. As the nights draw in and with Christmas around the corner this is a well-timed opportunity to remind all road users of the dangers we face and some of the measures that can be taken. Working in partnership with the Police and others in the Cheshire Road Safety Group we encourage road users to change the way they drive or ride, slow down and make the roads safer for our communities.”

Situated off bustling Bridge Street, White Friars dates back to the 13^th Century and over the past decade has largely returned to residential use with 52 people, 10 children and 9 dogs now living on the narrow, terraced and cobbled, street. Already an established route for walkers and cyclists its popularity boomed during the pandemic with the promotion of the ‘active travel’ agenda.

Vanessa Bond, secretary of White Friars Residents’ Association commented: “Our community is delighted to be celebrating the work of our road safety heroes who police our roads and save lives. All road users have the right to use the street – where they live, work or play – safely, regardless of how they choose to travel on it. Of course Community Speed Watch is not enforcement – the aim is actually not to catch as many speeding drivers as possible, but rather, to raise awareness that excessive speeds are not only illegal, but socially unacceptable.”

Police and Crime Commissioner, John Dwyer said: “Many local residents have written to me regarding speeding or reckless driving in their communities – particularly since the lifting of lockdown restrictions. Making Cheshire’s roads safer is incredibly important and that’s why it is one of six priorities identified in my Police and Crime Plan” and continued ”I am also picking up on a number of concerns about speeding from my Autumn Survey and I am keen to continue hearing residents’ views. I congratulate residents of White Friars on their Community Speedwatch launch and applaud their efforts to make their community safer.”

Community Speed Watch is a national initiative that empowers local communities to play an active role in tackling the problems of speeding in their neighbourhood. As a residential street, White Friars has a 20 mph speed limit and trained volunteers officially monitor, and report to Police, details of speeding vehicles.