MOTORISTS that race through south Durham villages are being urged to curb their speed as police launch a targeted scheme.

Community Speedwatch will see neighbourhood police officers, residents and PCSOs work side-by-side at Wear Valley and Teesdale roadsides with new speed-detecting equipment.

Large panels will display to drivers and the operator what speed they are driving at automatically.

If the motorist is doing an excessive speed the operator will note their registration plate and issue a warning letter.

Repeat offenders could be prosecuted or given tickets but officers have reassured people the scheme is about community safety, not revenue.

Chief inspector Bill Dutton said speeding is a form of anti-social behaviour and the Speedwatch will show motorists the risks they are taking.

He said: “This will allow the public to assist the police in a safe manner – residents will attend with equipment to detect and display traffic speeds and will work with officers to record the registration numbers of vehicles which are clearly going too fast.

“The emphasis is on education, as drivers will see their speed displayed and may reflect on their behaviour.

“We, and communities, just want people to drive sensibly and safely through the villages in the area and show some respect for residents and other road users.”

Tackling speed was raised by concerned residents at Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings in the area.

Chief Inspector Dutton said the area does not have a high proportion of speeding motorists but residents who wish to help should get in touch. “County Durham actually has one of the very lowest rates of serious injuries or fatalities compared to other authority areas in the country,” he said.

“But speeding through villages is also anti-social behaviour and causes community concerns.

“This is one of many techniques the police, council, and other partner agencies use to tackle the issues on our roads.

“It is firmly not about any income generation, it is about educating motorists and empowering communities to work with us on the issue.”

Residents who would like to get involved or who want to attend a PACT meeting should visit www.durham.police.uk or call 0345-60-60-365.

The equipment was paid for by the Wear and Tees Community Safety Partnership.