VOLUNTEERS in Buckley recorded almost 150 speeding motorists in April.

The Buckley Community Speedwatch team was called back into action just over a month ago.

Co-ordinator Cllr Arnold Woolley said over a total of 12 roadside sessions throughout April, members recorded 148 speeders.

He added that of those, 130 were referred to GoSafe and will receive a letter asking them to "be a better driver."

By comparison, the team recorded 141 speeding drivers over 10 sessions in November, 164 over eight sessions in October and 213 over 18 sessions in September.

"The two highest speeds we recorded in April were a 47 mile-per-hour in the 30 zone by the schools on the A494 flyover at Bryn-y-Baal," Cllr Woolley said, "and a 56 mile-per-hour on Bryn Road going up toward the Argoed School.

"Until they're about six, children have little spatial and speed/distance awareness but they like to cross roads and sometimes don't have a parent with them.

"This is the reason we operate around the schools and elderly people's homes, where people really should be driving sensibly.

"My wife and I saw a typical example when we were walking. "An elderly man was crossing the road, saw a vehicle coming down and thought as it is a 30 mile-per-hour zone he'd have plenty of time.

"But the vehicle must have been doing near 70, and instead of braking the driver just leaned on the horn and then swore at him. "What is in the mind of these drivers? "They are anti-social, unfriendly, irresponsible and dangerous.

"Fortunately you don't see that sort of thing all the time, but even the one instance says there is something wrong here."

Cllr Woolley is a former Police Senior Superintendent, Force Training Commander and traffic specialist.

"When I was a traffic specialist and my wife was a reservist," he explained, "We came across a number of deaths and bodies.

"Regrettably the number of innocent people who get carried to the morgue wile the responsible driver ends up in court is an irritation. "One doesn't like to see that."