'Speeding is one of the key factors in deaths on the road,' warns senior Sheffield police officer

Star readers outlined speeding drivers as one of their key concerns around Sheffield crime, along with knife crime, drug dealing, city centre begging and anti-social behaviour and burglaries in a recent survey.

The Sheffield Star sat down with senior Sheffield police officer, Superintendent Benn Kemp, to ask him for some insight on speeding, and to detail what the force is doing to tackle it in city communities.

Supt Kemp said: "We know that speed is one of the key factors in deaths on the road, and it's something that we do continue to focus on, and manage it a local level."

In terms of how the management of speeding works, Supt Kemp continued: “In terms of speeding drivers: we work with our partners and communities to increase surveillance in areas where speeding is reported to us or where people come to community meetings and highlights speeding in certain areas. We regularly deliver weeks of action with the safer world's partnership, and the community safety partnerships, so using mobile speed vans and targeting where we're putting some of our speed enforcement activity. 

“We use mini police, in and around schools where speeding is, which is primary school children wearing mini police uniforms with speed guns, basically stopping drivers and and speaking to them.

"They do have a little speed gun to capture drivers speeding and then they stop and speak to them about the impact of speeding and what that might have, along with some of our officers. We do regular joint speed operations with local councillors or concerned community members where we'll come to specific streets and utilise 'smile signs' or things that look unhappy depending on your speed.

"We also utilise enforcement, so neighbourhood police officers being out in the relevant areas with some of our road traffic specialists, and ultimately, enforcing those who don't comply with speed."