Mithian school speed check catches 30 drivers in half an hour

One driver a minute. That is roughly the rate at which police say motorists were caught breaking the limit outside a Cornish primary school, at the very moment children were arriving for the day.

What happened outside Mithian Primary School

Speed detection officers from Camborne went to Mithian Primary School on Thursday morning (1 October) to monitor the speed of traffic passing the school during drop-off.

They stayed for half an hour. In that time, the Devon & Cornwall Police Road Safety Team says, 30 offences were detected.

The highest speed recorded was 36mph, in a spot where the limit at that time of day is 20mph.

How the 20mph limit works

The road past the school has a 20mph speed restriction that applies during drop-off and pick-up times.

It is not an advisory limit. The Road Safety Team says the restriction is backed by a Traffic Regulation Order, with signage in place, which makes it mandatory.

What happens to the drivers now

The drivers involved will be sent a notice of intended prosecution in the next few days, according to the police road safety team.

And officers have made clear this was not a one-off visit.

“This is not acceptable at a time when young children are walking to school and crossing the road,” the team said.

“The drivers will be receiving notice of intended prosecution in the next few days, and we will be visiting the school again until drivers’ behaviours change.”

What to do if you drive past a school

If your morning or afternoon route takes you past a school, check the signs. A limit that only applies at drop-off and pick-up times is easy to miss if you use the road at other hours of the day.

The team’s message to drivers was short: “Please drive within the speed limits, especially around schools and colleges.”