A RECORD number of speed watch volunteer groups are out in force across Craven and North Yorkshire today in a bid to prevent road deaths.

Some 16 Community Speed Watch groups are taking to the roads of North Yorkshire - including two in Cononley, and also in Carleton and Embsay, to encourage motorists to observe speed limits and drive more carefully.

It coincides with today's 'European Day Without a Road Death' ( Project EDWARD), which has been running since

2016 and aims to have a significant and sustained reduction in death and serious injury on roads across the world.

Today is the first time so many Community Speed Watch volunteers have deployed at the same time across North Yorkshire.

Groups will be monitoring speeds at various locations throughout the day in both 20mph and 30mph zones, in conjunction with the Traffic Bureau’s safety camera deployment in other areas across North Yorkshire.

Jamie Smith, Community Speed Watch Co-ordinator for North Yorkshire Police, said: “The record turnout by groups across the county today is extremely encouraging – it shows how much people care about reducing speeding and improving road safety in their communities.

“Project EDWARD also enables our local Community Speed Watch groups to be part of something really big and make a huge difference, not just within the communities they serve, and not just in North Yorkshire, but across an entire continent.

“We’re very grateful to everyone who has volunteered for such an important cause today, and throughout the rest of the year.”

There are 46 groups across the county. The scheme is provided by the police, but operated by volunteers.

Its main aim is to draw drivers' attention to speed limits in areas where communities feel it is affecting their quality of life, and to educate them about the impact of their actions.

It was developed after a public consultation run by the Police and Crime Commissioner in July 2014 which showed that four out of five residents were concerned about road safety in North Yorkshire.

The scheme was piloted between March and September 2015 and due to positive results and a positive public response, it now forms one part of North Yorkshire Police’s approach to roads policing.

To find out more about how a Community Speed Watch group could be set up in your area, visit:northyorkshire.police.uk/what-we-do/road-policing/community-speed-watch/