Helping to keep Grove Hill safe with Community Speedwatch

A Community Speedwatch scheme has been introduced on Valley Road in the Grove Hill area of Middlesbrough, following a spate of accidents and concerns raised by residents about speeding.

In recent years residents on Valley Road have had their cars written off, damage has been caused to multiple vehicles, family pets have been killed and a child has been to hospital for treatment to injuries.

Community Speedwatch is a national project that encourages local communities to join the scheme with the support of their local police.

Residents of Valley Road will work with housing provider, Thirteen, Cleveland Police and Middlesbrough Council to make Valley Road a safer place. Cleveland Police will use approved detection devices to catch vehicles that are speeding on the road. Those found to be speeding will be contacted by the police to warn of the dangers and potential consequences of their behaviour. If the driver is found to be speeding again, enforcement can be taken.

Local resident Karen Willis said: “I have lived on Valley Road for over 10 years and speeding has always been an issue. I walk a lot, on some occasions, speeding cars come too close to the pavements. If drivers lose control and veer onto the pavements, it could cause serious injuries to any pedestrians or cyclists in the immediate vicinity. There are lots of children that play in the area too. I’d urge people to drive with consideration.  

“We need traffic calming measures. We should be safe on our own street. I am pleased that we are part of the Community Speedwatch scheme and that our concerns are being listened to. I hope this is the first of many actions to stop the speeding and the accidents.”

Jayne Dale, community development co-ordinator at Thirteen said: “We want to help local people create quality places and thriving neighbourhoods. We’ve identified Grove Hill as one of the key areas where we want to help the community to make it a great place to live.

“We’ve listened to the concerns raised by residents on Valley Road, and we are supporting them with the Community Speedwatch scheme.

“Through our partner work with Cleveland Police and Middlesbrough Council we’ve been able to help residents to bring the national scheme into the local area. Working with our partners is a vital part of being able to resolve issues in the community. We’ve started a community group called Keeping Grove Hill Safe too, and we’ll continue to work together, alongside our partners, to keep residents safe.”

Inspector Chris Hartshorne from Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We are working with the community who have voiced their concerns about speeding in the area and the local authority to understand the scale of the problem and to tackle those who speed on our roads. Community Speedwatch takes place around the Cleveland area and gives us chance to educate drivers about the dangers of speeding prior to take enforcement action if needed.”

Park ward Councillor Theo Furness said: “Local residents know their local roads and the issues that affect them better than anyone, so it’s right that they’re at the heart of any safety initiatives.

“The Community Speedwatch scheme will have a positive impact on this area, and it’s a blueprint I’m sure would be welcomed in other parts of the town.

“We will work closely with our engineers both to reduce speed limits and introduce traffic calming measures where possible.”

Fellow Park ward member Edward Clynch added: “Speeding drivers on Valley Road have been putting lives in danger for too long, so it’s great to see the community’s concerns have led to real and constructive action.

“I hope motorists will change their behaviour – if they don’t, enforcement action will follow.”