Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal and the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster, visited Kilburn recently to look at a trial initiative to reduce speed on the county’s roads.
Kilburn is the site of one of the first speed indicator devices (SIDs), funded by local councils in partnership with the Police and Crime Commissioner.
SIDs are a type of electronic vehicle activated sign used on the road to advise motorists of the speed they are going.
Cllr Kewal Singh Athwal and Commissioner Angelique Foster were joined by representatives from Kilburn Parish Council who successfully applied for funding for the speed indictor device.
Cllr Kewal Singh Athwal said: “Speeding is an issue in many parts of the county, and something that the council and police are regularly asked to do something about, which is why I asked our officers to put this scheme together.
“By offering this support to our town and parish councils we can work together to make a real difference.
“By joining forces with the Police and Crime Commissioner we were able to offer the council’s expertise in placing these devices in the most effective places, and making sure that they complied with all the necessary legislation. The Police and Crime Commissioner was able to offer grant funding to help local town and parish councils with the expense.
”It is a great example of us all working together to help local communities tackle issues that affect them.”
Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster said: “This is an important milestone for residents in Kilburn who have campaigned to make their roads safer for some time. I am pleased to have helped them with the addition of a Speed Indicator Device in their community, something that would not have been available to them before. The device will help educate drivers on the local speed limit and help to discourage dangerous driving.
“Tackling road safety is very much a team effort and I am working closely with Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and Town and Parish councils throughout Derbyshire to maximise the outcome of our safety work. There is strong evidence to suggest these efforts are really making a difference but we will not become complacent.
“Communities can play a significant role in improving safety on our roads and I will continue to invest in local schemes that empower residents to respond to issues proactively.”
Sheila Matthews, Clerk to Kilburn Parish Council, said: “Kilburn has a very active Community Speedwatch Group who work closely with the Parish Council and who identified a number of areas in Kilburn where speeding traffic is a problem.
“In 2022 the Parish Council asked residents what their policing priorities would be and speeding vehicles came back as a top priority. So when there was opportunity to have a Speed Indicator Device installed, we decided to take part in the trial. Five locations in our area were authorised and the mobile unit will be moved every few months with the data being sent onto Derbyshire Police and Crest. The current position on Ryknield Rd is notorious for accidents and pets being run over therefore it was decided that this should be the first location.
“We are grateful for the help and advice given by the council and our local county councillor Trevor Ainsworth. We also appreciate the grant which has been given by the Derbyshire Police Commissioner towards the project.”
There are SIDs in two places in Derbyshire and another 31 applications from parish councils that are being considered.