Speeding is one of the factors that most affects the quality of life in communities around Hampshire. It can be a factor in road traffic collisions and impacts on the day-to-day lives of people in the community. With these concerns in mind Chineham Parish Council has established a Community Speedwatch programme in partnership with Old Basing & Lychpit Parish Council. The programme, aimed at reducing traffic speed through Chineham, has the full support of the local Police.

Many of you will have seen our volunteers standing beside the road alongside a Speed Indicator Display (SID). The device uses microwave technology to detect the speed of approaching vehicles which is then displayed on the front panel of the equipment so that both the driver and the volunteers can see this. A "smiley" or "sad" face is also displayed depending on the speed of the vehicle. The details of vehicles found to be exceeding the speed limit are noted down by the volunteers and reported to the Police via the Police National Computer. Speeding drivers are sent a warning letter from the Police in the first instance and repeat offenders will be sent a sterner letter and may receive a visit from the Police.

We are always looking for Community Volunteers who can spend just a few hours every other month taking part in roadside monitoring in Chineham. Appropriate training will be provided. If you would like to be part of the team of Community Volunteers, please contact the Parish Clerk by email clerk@chineham.gov.uk.

During the summer of 2018, the Parish Council arranged for a number of traffic surveys to be undertaken on various roads around the Parish. To find our more click here to view the survey data. Where available, historical data from 2014 has been included for comparison. Following an opportunity to review this data, the Parish Council has passed it on to Local Police & suggested that Hanmore Road should be considered a priority for the deployment of a speed camera with Bowman Road also an area of some concern. The data has also been passed to Hampshire Highways with a suggestion that traffic calming measures be considered on Hanmore Road.

Update (September 2018): a response from the Traffic Management Team at Hampshire County Council states the following:

• In general terms, excessive traffic speeds remain a Police matter & should be reported directly via the 101 service;
• A policy decision was made in 2016 to prioritise traffic management measures to sites where a related, treatable pattern of road casualty collisions exists;
• The Traffic & Safety Group has access to the Police database of all injury accidents reported in Hampshire & use this to prioritise safety schemes;
• Given the indistinct pattern of collisions on Hanmore Road, they are unable to include this road in the current safety programme.