A number of new road safety campaigns and initiatives will be launched in Rutland this autumn to highlight the dangers of speeding and promote consideration for all road users.

The work is being led by Rutland County Council, Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership (LLRRSP). Local residents will also be directly involved.

Community Speed Watch volunteers will be in action during October in Essendine, in an effort to record and discourage speeding drivers. This locally-run scheme allows residents to be involved with road safety by reporting incidents of speeding directly to the police, who then issue information and a warning to drivers.

Schemes have already taken place during the summer in Barleythorpe (169 warning letters sent) and Stretton (194 warning letters sent). Parishes wishing to take part in future Community Speed Watch schemes should contact the County Council's road safety team for further details, by emailing [email protected]

Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Paul Kear said: "Community Speed Watch is a valuable part of our partnership road safety strategy. Speeding and the perceptions of speeding are of huge concern to people living in Rutland's towns and villages and any assistance we can get in combatting this is always very welcome."

Rutland has a wide range of road users including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, horse riders, farm machinery, buses, lorries, motorcycles and cars, all travelling at differing speeds.

'Share the Road' is a Leicestershire Police initiative supported by Rutland County Council, which targets specific sites with warning signs that remind all road users to share space on the highway and be considerate of others, so that everyone has a safe journey.

Special Inspector Stuart Mottershaw, Casualty and Speed Reduction Coordinator for Leicestershire Police, said: "Leicestershire Police is committed to protecting all road users who live and travel through Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Share the Road is aimed all road users with a view to protecting the most vulnerable.

"We wish to engage with all road users, explaining and highlighting the dangers of passing too close to vulnerable road users and the effect that this has on riders and horses and some of the possible outcomes if this is done incorrectly."

Stuart continued: "Everyone who uses our roads, be it on foot, on a bike or horseback or even in a vehicle has the absolute right to expect to arrive at their destination safely, but this can only be achieved if we work together. Education is key, however sometimes and unfortunately enforcement is necessary to reinforce this important message. One death on the road is too many."

Coun Lucy Stephenson, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Road Safety, said: "Improving road safety is a priority for the County Council and our partners. These initiatives are welcomed in targeting incidents of careless and dangerous driving, speeding and disregard for other road users across the highways network of our county, and involving residents and communities to take action on the roads of concern within their area.

"We make the roads safe or dangerous by our actions and the choices we make as individual highway users, regardless of how we choose to travel. Care and consideration for others, as well as ourselves, is extremely important whenever we're out and about."

Further information about any of these road safety campaigns is available by emailing Rutland County Council at: [email protected] and can also be found online at Road safety activity in Rutland.