A CONCERN has been raised that a new ‘Community Speedwatch’ scheme in Peeblesshire will encourage “vigilantes”.

In the initiative, being promoted by Innerleithen and District Community Council (IDCC), volunteer residents will be trained by the police in the use of speed guns and initially accompanied as they target drivers breaking the limits.

But local resident Andy Chapman, who drives for a living, has aired his worries about the new scheme, which would be the first of its kind in the Scottish Borders.

He said: “Self policing is a dangerous road [to take].

“It is vigilantes thinking they are important members of the community.”

Tweeddale East councillor Julie Pirone, who is chair of Scottish Borders Council’s police, fire and community safety board, addressed Mr Chapman’s concerns.

She said: “The community speed watch is in response to residents raising the issue of speeding in our towns and villages.

“It is not self-policing, it is working in conjunction with Police Scotland where full training is given.

“If people volunteer it doesn’t mean they can just take the laws into their own hands.

“This pilot follows on from the successful Fife scheme which has shown that drivers do slow down.

“We should all be concerned about public safety on our roads.”

Mr Chapman added: “I drive for a living, you have to have eyes in the back of your head because there are so many rules to obey.

“Now it appears we will have to watch out for members of our own community, probably in high visibility clothing, waving speed cameras at us.”

An IDCC spokesperson, replying to Mr Chapman online, said: “It would be fair to say that there are differences of opinion within IDCC as well.

“We have given a lot of thought to the challenges of a programme like this, and we are trying to balance concerns like yours with the other concerns we hear from the wider community.

“But please be assured that there is no vigilantism happening here.

“People who volunteer for the scheme aren’t automatically accepted and given a radar gun.

“There is an approval process in place.

“IDCC gathers the names of volunteers and pass them on to the police.

“The police apply vetting criteria to all volunteers.

“If volunteers are successfully vetted, the police will train them in the use of the equipment and safety onsite.

“The scheme will only apply to three specific speeding hotspots around Innerleithen, not random locations.

“These hotspots have been nominated to the police in advance so that they can conduct appropriate site assessments and train the volunteers accordingly.”