“SMILEY face” speed indicator devices (SIDs) will be installed across Westbury after the town council was granted £5,000 for the scheme.
The council applied for the funding for the SIDs, which display the measured speed and either a smiling or frowning face, from the Westbury Aarea Board.
Town council.. chair cllr Ian Cunningham explained, “I don’t need to tell anybody involved in the council how much concern has been expressed by residents about speed on the roads
“Like most towns, West bury has issues and concerns. Signs are fairly prevalent around other places, so the town council has decided it would like to get a number of the signs at five major entry points to the town.”
Cllr Cunningham said the council was looking at spending £13,000 which will give Westbury four devices which are capable of running when they’re not connected to their bases, so have the ability to be moved from one place to another.
“We are hoping the area board might like to show support for this,” he said.
Wiltshire cllr Suzanne Wickham said, ”It seems a shame that the good people of the county go out and do Speedwatch but we are saying ‘there’s a machine that does that’
However, Kathy Hutt, chair of Dilton Marsh Parish Council, said the devices were in addition to Speedwatch, as Speedwatch volunteers could record registration numbers – which could be acted on by police – whereas the SID does not identify the registration number.
Kathy said, “They are an addition to try and educate drivers.”
All members voted in favour of approving the grant application.
