SPEEDING motorists putting their foot down through Furness villages are being warned that they could be clocked.

Following concerns from residents, special groups have been formed to identify drivers flouting the law.

Speed watch groups have been formed for Lindal and Marton, Askam and Ireleth and one is on the way for Dalton and Newton.

Volunteers manning roadside equipment will pass on details of anyone caught over the speed limit to Cumbria Police which then issues a warning letter.

The groups have been coordinated by local councillor Ben Shirley with support from PCSO John McVeigh and Askam councillor Steve Smalley, among others.

Cllr Shirley said: “The response from local parishioners has been great and you do notice people are slowing down.

"Instead of getting a summons to court they get a letter, rather like someone getting a yellow card in football.”

“This is not about busybodies trying to get people fined or given points.

"It’s about people who genuinely care about their community.”

Lindal and Marton is a problem spot with drivers speeding through the village crossroads on the A590, close to where there the speed limit falls from 60mph to 40mph.

A recent operation identified half-a-dozen motorists in the space of an hour who were well over the 40mph limit, with one tracked at 57mph, said Cllr Shirley.

Cllr Shirley said: “People in Lindal are concerned by heavy vehicles rushing through when they are trying to cross the main road or trying to pull out of junctions.

"They are so concerned that they are prepared to stand by a busy roadside with no protection other than a high-vis vest to try and make a difference.”

Cllr Shirley said a letter from the police could help people think, rather than an £80 fine and penalty points.

It also helps build-up evidence of problem areas for PCSOs and traffic officers, said Cllr Shirley, the Conservative councillor for Dalton North.

In Askam and Ireleth, the group has focussed on Ireleth Road, Dalton Road and Saves Lane as well as at outside Ireleth St Peter’s School.

Dalton’s speed watch group is being set up and is set to monitor Romney Park and traffic coming off the bypass and heading down into Dalton.