SPEED campaigners have urged drivers to slow down for the school holidays after clocking 28 people breaking the speed limit in one hour.

Volunteers for the Harwich and District Community Speed Watch Partnership recorded 28 vehicles speeding on Ramsey Road in Dovercourt on Saturday morning.

Dave Blackiston, Speedwatch co-coordinator, said: “The slowest was 38 mph and the two fastest were driving at 65 and 68mph in a 30 mph zone.

“How can you justify speeds of

65 and 68 mph?

“These are not estimates, they were recorded on a calibrated speed device that was checked that morning.”

As the schools closed for the summer on Friday, Mr Blackiston has appealed for extra vigilance on the roads.

He said: “The school summer holidays will mean more children on the road on bikes, more excited children on the pavements, and more children travelling to activities.

“Please be aware of the additional risk as you are driving.

“Arriving at your intended destination five minutes later is well worth it. Please slow down.

“On Friday 16 motorists in Low Road didn’t and they were captured on the Essex Highways Trucam - three points and a fine on their way to them.” From 4 August the Speedwatch group will expand to cover Mistley, Manningtree and Lawford with volunteer training being held at the Ogilvie Hall in Wignall Street, Lawford the same day.

Mr Blackiston added: “Also, on Monday night Tendring Parish Council agreed to support and join the partnership and to help find us some more volunteers.

“It will take about two months to implement and when complete we will have about 48 community speed watches monitoring sites across the district.”

Volunteers use speed guns to

record drivers and send warning letters to the registered owner of the vehicle. They also have one Trucam to use across the group, which can clock speeding motorists and issue a penalty notice to the owner without the need to stop them.

Anyone wanting to volunteer for the speed watch partnership, which is run as part of the Harwich and District Community Crime Prevention Panel, is asked to get in touch by emailing harwichspeedwatch@gmail.com or visiting the Facebook page.