SPEEDING crackdowns are being launched on roads without a history of major accidents in a pilot scheme.

The experiment is being run in Blackburn with Darwen and could be extended across the county if it is a success.

It allows communities, be it residents or even schools, to nominate ‘sites of concerns’.

If approved by the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety, these will be monitored within weeks.

At present, the county’s 293 plus speed cameras and around 73 mobile sites are situated where people have been killed or seriously injured in crashes.

John Theakstone, vice-chairman of Ramsgreave Parish Council, started a petition for speeding restrictions on Higher Ramsgreave Road more than decade ago. He said the scheme could be the answer after ‘12 years of frustration’.

He said: “There’s been many, many accidents on this road, but the problem is they are only recorded by police if there is personal injury.

“We’ve had cars in fields, the postbox demolished and numerous accidents causing thousands of pounds in damage.”

Simon Sheridan-Aspden, a resident of Stopes Brow, had his car written off after a speeding car smashed into it outside his house.

He said: “I see speeding on this road every day, it’s an arterial route with heavy, fast traffic.

“It is good to see positive action being taken and hopefully they’ll get some good results and secure funding for a fixed camera.”

Kat Whitemoss, from the partnership, said residents could nominate speeding hot spots at neighbourhood board meetings.

She said: “It’s not just about revenue or catching people, although they will be prosecuted.

“If it works, it will make people think we could always be around the corner and slow them down.”