It’s hard to believe that the Eynsham Community Speedwatch (CSW) group is already approaching its fifth anniversary. The group has clocked up almost 200 sessions on the roadside in our village as part of their efforts to keep our road safe for all road users.
What is a CSW?
Community Speedwatch is a national, community-based, road safety scheme, managed by the community and supported by the local policing team (for Eynsham, this would be Thames Valley Police).
CSW groups are all voluntary, with trained volunteers undertaking ‘shifts’ on the roadside (max. of 4 volunteers) at points where drivers are known to speed. The volunteers wear high-visibility clothing and make sure that drivers see them in plenty of time to adjust their speed as they approach.
The volunteers have approved devices for monitoring speed and will record the details of vehicles that exceed the speed limit regardless of having seen the CSW team.
CSW volunteers are only allowed on roads with speeds of 20, 30 and 40mph and can only be on the roadside during daylight hours. The groups are not allowed to be out in wet, foggy or icy conditions, on private roads or faster roads.
Thames Valley Police has access to the CSW’s list of vehicles that were speeding and will contact the registered address to encourage drivers to consider their speed more carefully. Almost 500 letters have been sent as a result of the Eynsham CSW sessions. Repeat offenders – or those who drive excessively fast – may receive a visit from the police.
Do CSW groups make a difference?
Thames Valley Police data on speeding vehicles in 20, 30 and 40mph zones demonstrate improvements on the roads. From 2022 until October 2025, it was found that in 20mph zones there was a decrease of 6.51% in the number of speeding vehicles reported by CSW groups and Thames Valley Police.
Oxfordshire County Council recently noted that Government statistics indicate that Oxfordshire is seeing ‘significant improvements in road safety’. This is likely due to the introduction of 20mph zones in many areas and the enforcement support that is provided by many CSWs, with the support of Thames Valley Police.
Do you want to make a difference?
Could you join our local CSW group and help to keep our roads safer? The Eynsham CSW Co-ordinator explains:
“Speeding mainly happens on the exit and entrances to the village. Unfortunately, in these areas there are also pedestrians – young and old – walking to the schools, the playing fields, out shopping or walking the dog. We’ve heard from passersby that fast traffic makes these journeys unpleasant and unsafe for all when crossing roads. A limit of 20mph helps us all share the public highways more safely.”
Full training is provided and volunteers can take part in a trial session before committing. Each session is one hour long and group members can do as many sessions as they are able; there is no minimum time commitment.