Agenda item

(A report by Andrew Trevithick, Lincolnshire Police Casualty Reduction, in connection with the School Safety Watch. Which is a new initiative aimed primarily at Lincolnshire schools but may include other establishments where children regularly attend)

The Committee received a report in connection with the School Safety Watch. This new initiative was aimed primarily at Lincolnshire schools but might include other establishments where children regularly attended.

Discussion between the Committee and officers included the following topics:-

1. Officers stated that the trial statistics from the use of the School Safety Watch signs indicated that before their erection the speed limit was exceeded by 10% of motorists, after erection this reduced to 2.9%.

2. Was it proposed to erect just one sign outside of a school? Officers stated that it was at the discretion of the school how many signs they purchased and it was better if the school moved the signs on a regular basis to avoid complacency by motorists.

3. Were the signs reflective as this could cause problems for motorists? Officers stated that while the signs were reflective they would be installed at a level that that prevented dazzle caused by headlights. Any problems would be investigated.

4. Why were local authority schools being asked to pay for the signs? Officers stated that schools needing the signs would be prepared to pay for them.

5. There were fewer local authority schools. If the signs were free this would devalue them and schools were more able to afford them than the local authority.

6. Parish Councils were required to purchase the Community Speed Watch signs.

7. Schools had a responsibility for parking in the vicinity of the school.

8. Was it possible to set the time and day the signs came on? Officers stated that the signs operated on a similar system to the timing for a central heating system. The signs also used rechargeable batteries and these were the school's responsibility.

9. Proliferation of signs in the vicinity of a school could cause problems

10. This scheme should complement the School Safety Zones scheme to prevent the proliferation of signs and the school should to conduct a survey before the signs were erected.

11. Officers stated that it was proposed to test run the signs before they were installed. The signs were able to detect variable speed and monitoring procedures were in place.

12. Did the signs have a function that informed motorists not to drop off children? Officers stated that the signs had a function to inform motorists of this matter.

13. Officers stated that the wording on the signs could be changed to reflect local circumstances.

14. Who had responsibility for moving the signs? Officers stated that the school had responsibility for moving the signs and they were easy to move.

15. Was the battery power easy to check? Officers stated that the rechargeable batteries were easy to check and it was possible to use a mobile telephone for this purpose.

16. Could the signs be purchased on credit? Officers stated that this was being considered as an option by the supplier of the Community Safety Watch device and officers would discuss the same with the different supplier of the School Safety Watch device.

17. Was it possible for the signs to record historical data? Officers stated that it was possible for the signs to record historical data, including, amongst others, the time of day speeding occurred.

19. Were the signs vandal proof? Officers stated that the sign had a shatterproof facia over the leds. Vandalism such as spray painting could not be prevented.

Officers agreed to continue the test trials of the signs, they would take into consideration the comments made by the Committee and agreed to report their findings to a future meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED

(a) That the comments made by the Committee and the responses of officers be noted.

(b) That officers report their findings from the test trials of the signs and consider the various comments raised by the Committee to a future meeting of the Committee.