DULVERTON Town Council is looking for volunteer traffic monitors to man mobile radar guns and track speeding motorists when the town centre becomes a 20mph zone.

Police will train up to ten volunteers to check the speed of drivers as part of a Speed Watch campaign on the three main roads into the town and note the registration numbers of offenders.

“Their evidence will not be legally enforceable,” said traffic management committee chairman Liz Schofield.

“But serious cases will be reported to the council which will pass them on to the police for appropriate action.

“To be honest, there has not been a flood of volunteers up to now and we are urging anyone who cares about traffic speed through Dulverton to get involved in the speed awareness initiative by contacting the town clerk.

“There will always be drivers who break speed limits but this behaviour needs to be tackled by the whole community. Cars are essential to our way of life but they shouldn’t endanger life, either by the speed at which they are driven or where they are parked.”

She hoped that a 20mph speed limit and clearer signs would be the beginning of safer and more responsible driving.

Cllr Schofield said that the safety of pedestrians and greater visibility along Dulverton’s narrow streets were major priorities and there had been cases when congestion and parked cars blocked the way for emergency services.

“On one occasion an ambulance crew had to leave their vehicle and run down the street with their equipment,” Cllr Schofield said.

As a result, the council was now in negotiation with the county authority to install more double yellow lines and remove three parking spaces – two on Vicarage Hill and one in North Moor Road.

“There have been some objections, particularly about parking, and some people have doubts about how the speed limit will be enforced.

“We believe all these initiatives will help, however communication and education are also a necessary part of solving the problems the town has,” said Cllr Schofield.

For information on the Speed Watch campaign phone 01398 324561.