HINGHAM has formed its own community speedwatch team which went "live" on Monday.Like many other rural communities in East Anglia, Hingham has traffic problems.

HINGHAM has formed its own community speedwatch team which went "live" on Monday.

Like many other rural communities in East Anglia, Hingham has traffic problems.

Four busy roads approach the village centre and the road through the Market Place is very wide. It takes time to cross, particularly for the elderly, and its very width invites speeding.

Attempts have been made by residents in the recent past to introduce forms of traffic calming, a pedestrian crossing and a pedestrian refuge. None were successful.

The suggestion by Norfolk Constabulary, late last year, for residents to form a community speedwatch team was welcomed.

After a recruitment drive and police training, speedwatch teams equipped with a police radar speed gun will regularly cover the approach roads to Hingham.

The registration details of vehicles speeding will be reported to the police so they can write to the registered keeper of the vehicle asking that they respect local speed limits.

Roger Heptinstall, the Hingham Speedwatch co-ordinator, said he was very impressed by the response to the recruitment campaign and the team now numbers 17, including town council chairman, Jane Mackie.

He was optimistic more residents would join once the scheme proved its worth, thus providing more teams to be "on watch" throughout the week.