Community Roadwatch efforts in the neighbourhood have been suspended during the coronavirus lockdown. But police officers and community support officers have been organising and carrying out speed enforcement operations across London.
PCOS Stephen McCulloch who has been coordinating community roadwatch volunteers across South East London has sent Ladywell-Live the latest figures for speeding offences in London for the last 10 weeks of life in lockdown.
Across the whole of the capital “extreme speeding offences” increased 220 per cent for the period March 24-June 2 compared to the same period of 2019. Total speeding offences increased 164 per cent.
On urban roads extreme speeding offences during the 10 week period totalled more than the whole of 2019, according to the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command. Speeds have increased in all categories from 20 to 70mph.
Figures show there were 7,057 offences recorded in the lockdown period against 3,117 for the same period of 2019.
On London’s priority urban roads which are used by more cyclists and pedestrians the police recorded:
- A 960 per cent increase in 20mph extreme speeding enforcement compared to the same period in 2019.
- A 115 per cent rise in 30mph extreme speeding enforcement compared to the same period in 2019.
But the number of people killed or seriously injured during lockdown fell by 50 per cent for the period March 24-May 25 against the same period in 2019 as far more people stayed at home and did not travel.