Volunteers welcome at Speedwatch!

Mon 3 Oct 2022, 11:31

Tue 12 Oct 2021, 10:50

Jim Holah, did you see my email about Spelsbury Rd and motorcycles?

Tue 12 Oct 2021, 09:58

Yes, we've spotted them, unfortunately, TVP don't link with us when organising these sessions, nor do they provide any feedback as statistical data to the Town (or other) Council as far as I know.  CSW operates independently but provides data to TVP as part of the process.

Tue 12 Oct 2021, 06:53 (last edited on Tue 12 Oct 2021, 07:50)

There has been a police van on at least two occasions when I have come through on Dyers Hill last week, at around 8.30am on entering Charlbury

Mon 11 Oct 2021, 09:28 (last edited on Mon 11 Oct 2021, 09:31)

I am helping Jim for my first Speedwatch session this Wednesday. If you fancy joining the teams on any of the dates below, let Jim know! jimholah61@gmail.com

Charlbury Community Speedwatch returns 

The speed of vehicles through Charlbury continues to be a source of complaint from many residents, pedestrians, cyclists & other drivers. The Speedwatch project has been collecting data over the last 18 months to prove this & active monitoring & reporting is about to restart. If you're concerned about the environmental impact on Charlbury, worried for your children or elderly relatives & want to do something you can contact me at jimholah61@gmail.com or just turn up at one of the following sessions for a taste of what we do. 

You'll see us on:

• Enstone Rd at 9.30 on Wednesday 13th & 20th October 

• Woodstock Rd at 4 pm on Tuesday 26th October 

 The Speedwatch project is supported & funded by the Town Council and works in partnership with Thames Valley Police. If you want to be a part of this, just let Jim Holah know.

Fri 8 Oct 2021, 07:45 (last edited on Fri 8 Oct 2021, 07:45)

The new Town Council is committed to tackling the safety issues caused by speeding motorists, many of which have been known for decades.

The first step will be to bring forward a Traffic Regulation Order, completing a number of actions from the previous council - the County will charge us in the region of £5,000 to take these things forward so a number of actions will be rolled together.  Some of these have required previous consultation.  You’ll hear more soon.

We are also told there will be opportunities given by the County Council to extend the 20mph limits.  The satnav companies seem incapable of providing correct information, and at least one (more reputable) haulage company when challenged about a speeding vehicle referred to this.  It is, of course, no excuse for failing to follow signs.

In terms of Speedwatch, Thames Valley Police ceased enforcement altogether at the start of lockdown, which led to dangerous drivers getting away with breaking the law.  Enforcement is being reintroduced, but to date it isn’t at the level it was at pre-lockdown.  This is a major concern, not least for Speedwatch, and the Town Council wrote to TVP some time ago to request a return to previous levels of support.  I am not aware of any reply to that letter, and the hot air from certain quarters about increasing police numbers seems at odds with reality.

But if you want more Speedwatch sessions, please offer to help by contacting Jim!

Thu 7 Oct 2021, 22:54

The speedwatch folk achieved admirable results while they were active (pre-COVID) around Charlbury, but since then speeds have gone up noticeably. I walk along Sturt Road daily and the speeds of some cars are just stupid.

I was wondering what is the Town Councils long term goal here - clearly it can't be to rely on speedwatch indefinitely.

Thu 7 Oct 2021, 19:10

I would have thought that if the speeding was so predictable by time and location, then the TVP should surely be dealing with some of this. I'm not quite sure where the remit of the Charlsbury Community Speedwatch runs too in this regard, and motorcycles are particularly tricky in that they have no front number plates (and I wonder if the hard core disguise the rear ones). It might well require specialist equipment, like very long lenses and speed cameras beyond the hand-held ones that can be used in a town environment.

Not that I have any time for lunatic motorcyclists. Among other things, those who are running "open pipes" also deserve to be dealt with. Is this something that our elected representatives ought to be taking up with the police? I realise they have a lot of conflicting requirements, but there are mobile units around (I've passed enough of them). Perhaps they don't work on Sunday mornings...

Thu 7 Oct 2021, 18:31

We are looking for ideas and volunteers to deal with the Charlbury TT issue. This is where enthusiastic motorcyclists decide to use the roads around us - particularly Spelsbury Rd and Forest Road/B4437 as a racetrack every Sunday morning at 08.30 am.

Wed 6 Oct 2021, 23:06 (last edited on Wed 6 Oct 2021, 23:07)

Just a thought though…..  if you’re in a queue of traffic by the school caused by 4-way temporary traffic lights, maybe switch your engine off rather than pour toxic substances into children’s lungs?  
Just a thought….

(meanwhile, Cllr Leffman and the clerk have been asked to try and get Thames Water to show some responsibility.)

Wed 6 Oct 2021, 17:57

Certainly, if Thames Water continue as they have the last two days, next week’s Speedwatch won’t need to be at the top of Enstone Road…..

…… but then nobody should be surprised at Thames Water causing disruption in this way. 

Wed 6 Oct 2021, 16:59

Why is the hole still at Enstone X roads.  I have just listened on Utube Bernard Cribbens "The hole in the ground sort of big and sort of Round" about sums it up.  Why is it still there?

Wed 6 Oct 2021, 15:44 (last edited on Thu 7 Oct 2021, 07:53)

Sorry been asked to remove my post

Wed 6 Oct 2021, 13:50

However in the mornings around 8:15, 8:30 ish the line of cars waiting can stretch from the crossroads all the way back past Crawborough. Not good for  Children walking to school with all the Petrol fumes.

Does anyone know when the huge hole may be fixed?

Wed 6 Oct 2021, 11:45

Personally, I am really liking the traffic lights at the crossroads. I can actually cross the road without either waiting indefinitely for a benevolent motorist to wave me across or sprinting across between traffic. 

Maybe there's something to these traffic calming measures after all...

Wed 6 Oct 2021, 10:57

I joined Jim and a colleague this morning on The Slade.  Whether it was the hi-viz, the weather or the traffic lights at the crossroads, it was hard to say, but speeds were generally much lower than we had anticipated.  (Except for a WODC bin lorry)

It would be good to have new volunteers come forward and help monitor speeds and guide enforcement.  See the news piece for details of locations in the coming weeks.

https://www.charlbury.info/news/3673