SPEEDING drivers in Wellington are being urged to slow down with the launch of a new Speedwatch group which will operate on the town’s northern and southern outskirts.

Wellington Town Speedwatch started operation in Swains Lane near the A38 relief road at rush hour and will also run at Tonedale.

Three of the seven approved volunteers were at roadside dressed in yellow hi-vis jackets for the ‘earlybird’ event near a crossing point for pupils at Wellesley Park Primary School.

Sharon Baker, Avon and Somerset partnership officer for West Somerset, was with the volunteers at the launch of the first Speedwatch, which had followed an earlier dry run in which no speeding data was recorded.

She said the scheme followed others already up and running in Ford Street outside Wellington, Langford Budville, Oake & Hillcommon and Chipley.

A spokesperson for the group said: “We don’t expect to, or want to, catch people speeding because as soon as they see us they will slow down.

“The point is getting that awareness out there in Wellington that we are trying to tackle the speeding problem.

“We don’t want to upset people but for the sake of the community the speeding needs to stop.”

One volunteer, who had her cat killed by a car where she lives at Tonedale, said speeding was a problem in that area. She said the number of new houses and drivers parking opposite junctions added to problems.

Three people are needed at a Speedwatch site – the speed of cars is logged and the make, colour and number plate details of any vehicles travelling too fast are sent to police.

Wellington Town Speedwatch, which will be running fortnightly, is appealing for more volunteers and may cover more areas of the town. Getting involved is a straightforward process – prospective volunteers need to complete a short online form to be approved by the police and undertake brief roadside training.

Anyone interested in getting involved is asked to contact the group on 01823 660029 and leave a message with a number to enable them to call back.