A CAMPAIGN to clamp down on motorists driving at dangerous speeds through Richmondshire’s rural villages has been hailed a success.

Thanks to support from local communities, dozens of danger areas have been targeted, and road policing officers have issued hundreds of penalty notices for motoring offences.

Earlier this year, the Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership (RCSP) invited local parishes to report “hotspot” areas for speeding. To date, there have been 35 referrals, resulting in the deployment of 19 data recorders and six flashing “speed matrix” boards. Further deployments are planned over the next few months. The equipment can establish how much of a problem speeding is, and can be used to educate motorists to slow down. Where that doesn’t work, police can take formal enforcement action.

Residents were consulted about the partnership’s top priorities – and speeding came out as a clear issue of concern for residents.

Sergeant John Lumbard, of North Yorkshire Police’s Road Policing Group, and a member of the RCSP Road Safety Group, said: “The Richmond-based road policing officers have been targeting routes where speed-related collisions are occurring, and as a result have issued 730 penalty notices for motoring offences in the last six months.”

Pat Wilson, RCSP Community Safety Manager, added: “One of the key messages the partnership receives from our residents is the matter of speeding in our villages. Working together we have put resource into this area, giving ownership of local issues to local residents and partners. I hope the message is getting through that speeding in Richmondshire is simply not acceptable.”