HEADINGTON residents are hoping to take speeding problems into their own hands – with radar guns.

Most of the area’s streets limit vehicles to 20mph, but many drivers are continuing to flout the law.

Oxfordshire County Council spent £500,000 making the roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians with speed bumps and chicanes.

And some residents have installed planters featuring children’s windmills to make people slow down.

Now the area’s neighbourhood police team is investigating whether a community speedwatch scheme – which gives radar guns to residents – could work.

Lime Walk resident Frank McKenna said: “There is a repeated breaking of speed limits in this area. There is not enough enforcement. We are in support of the initiative.”

Kennett Road resident Charles Young said: “It seems like a good idea. Rat running is one of the issues people are concerned about. “The initiative is fairly mild but I think people take notice if someone has spotted them speeding. It will make them cautious.”

Community Speedwatch is a Thames Valley Police scheme run by teams of volunteers who work with officers.

Registration numbers are entered on to a database which produces a letter telling the registered owner their vehicle has exceeded the speed limit.

If the same registration number is logged in another community speedwatch anywhere within Thames Valley further action will be taken.

Roadside volunteers are issued with high visibility jackets, signs and are trained to use the equipment and record the information.

Ruth Wilkinson, city councillor for Headington, said: “We have got reports of speeding in the Highfield area and particularly in Old Headington, Windmill Road and London Road so I can see that it would be a good thing, but we would need to pilot it first.”

Headington’s neighbourhood police team will report back to residents in May.