Norfolk Police says it is demonstrating its commitment to tackling speeding in rural, hard-to-reach locations through the introduction of a new motorbike initiative.
Historically, police officers have found positioning themselves safely in a village or a smaller country lane ‘almost impossible’. This means that they have been unable to offer speed checks in areas often asked for by members of the public.
Norfolk Police’s Safety Camera Team has identified more than 80 locations across the county that could be vulnerable to speeding and not receiving the support they need.
A new eight-week police bike initiative began earlier this month to try and combat the problem, allowing officers to get into locations that need attention.
Malcolm Fitzsimmons, senior safety camera officer, conducted checks in Hempnall on 8 August – and was pleased to be asked questions by local residents about the trial.
Mr Fitzsimmons said: “We’ve seen a really positive response to this initiative so far. People are happy to see that their complaints have been heard and something is being done about it.
“It’s been a challenge getting to this point, but we’re hoping that by increasing our presence in more rural areas, we’ll reduce the number of speeding reports we receive.
“Contrary to the opinions of some, we do not complete speed checks because they’re ‘cash cows’, and our aim is not to catch as many drivers as possible. Checks are done primarily to prevent further speeding and change the behaviour of offending drivers.”
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