Police in Kesgrave are hoping to up the number of volunteers on its community speedwatch programme after success in its first six months in Rushmere St Andrew has helped curb speeding drivers.

In February the joint scheme was launched by community bosses in Kesgrave and Rushmere St Andrew, after residents continually raised concerns about motorists exceeding 30mph.

The programme features volunteers being trained by police in using speed guns, with speeding drivers having their vehicle and registration details passed on to officers.

If a motorist is found to be persistent a second warning is issued before tougher measures are introduced.

Following the first six months, officers have reported success in Rushmere St Andrew and are now seeking more volunteers to help curb the issue in Kesgrave.

A Kesgrave Town Council spokeswoman said: “Nobody works alone and if you live in Kesgrave but would rather not volunteer where you are known, you can choose to do it in Rushmere St Andrew or vice versa.

“Currently the response in Rushmere St Andrew has been good and we would like to recruit more from Kesgrave.”

The project has been boosted by locality budget funding from Suffolk county councillor for Kesgrave and Rushmere St Andrew, Robert Whiting, who helped to buy equipment to get the scheme off the ground.

PCSO Mike Sarbutts from the east Ipswich safer neighbourhood team, said: “Our Community Speedwatch programmes are vital in helping to educate road users to reduce their speed and also highlighting the risks that people put themselves and others at by excessive speeding.

“The more volunteers there are, the more often road checks can be carried out to keep motorists safe and reduce the number of casualties on our roads.”

Alongside the community speedwatch campaign, plans are also in place to provide officers with mobile speed indication devices which display the speed to drivers as they approach.

PCSO Sarbutts said they were “very effective in slowing motorists down”.

Mr Whiting said: “In providing the funding for Kesgrave Town Council and Rushmere Parish Council to purchase this equipment, I hope that this activity will greatly increase drivers awareness of the dangers caused by speeding on our very busy roads.

“Many of these local roads are used as rat runs and I am well aware, from the complaints which I receive, of the excessive speeding occurring in this area.

“The team of volunteers are to be greatly applauded for the time which they are giving up to work on this, as this could well make the difference to safety on our busy local roads.”

The move follows similar devices being bought in Ipswich.

Anyone interested in signing up should email ipswicheastsnt@suffolk.pnn.police.uk.