Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has launched a scheme to tackle local speeding in five greater Manchester districts, including Stockport. 

The 'speedwatch' scheme will allow residents to become police-trained volunteers, to monitor vehicle speeds in their own areas. 

The volunteers will use a speeding device on 'roads for concern' in the area, which will record the registration plate, make, and model of a speeding vehicle. 

This information will then be passed on to GMP. If the vehicle was speeding, a 'warning letter' will be sent to the registered vehicle owner 

Repeat offenders may be sent out a Notice of Intended Prosecution letters if they continue to ignore the sign-posted speed limit.

Police say the aim is to "change the behaviour of road users who drive above the speed limit through that area".

Kate Green - deputy mayor for Greater Manchester - met with police officers and local residents in High Lane on Monday 11 March to officially launch the scheme (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Inspector Amreek Singh from GMP's Stockport district said: "[...] we have listened to the concerns of the local community and targeted some key hotspots in Stockport where we have had a significant number of complaints from concerned members of the public who live and work in that area. [...]

"To have two community speedwatch schemes live throughout Stockport is a massive advantage for us and something that can help us eradicate careless driving in the district and hopefully prevent serious injuries, and fatalities throughout Greater Manchester."

Chief Inspector Ronnie Neilson from GMP's Specialist Operation branch said: "Speed is a massive problem that we have to tackle. It is one of the key factors in nearly all of our collisions; it increases the severity of the collision. 

"Having a community backing the work that we are doing and working alongside them is huge, it is simple common sense, it is about how we work together to solve a problem. 

"After all, the community is a big part in what we do and it is great to have them involved in this scheme."  

Deputy Mayor Kate Green said police and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority were doing as much as possible to imrpove road safety (Image - GMP)

Deputy Mayor for police, crime, criminal justice and fire Kate Green said: "I think it is great that we have volunteers from the local community that know the speeding hotspots in their area and are prepared to go out and take action in our partnership approach.

"We would like to have this across the whole of the city region as this Speedwatch initiative fits into a bigger strategy for us around road safety and safe travel across Greater Manchester.

"I have met a number of residents across Greater Manchester who have serious concern about speeding around areas such as schools and local shopping centres. 

"We are doing everything we can to keep every resident in those areas as safe as we can, and the work around that never stops."