IT seems speed bumps, Gatso cameras and shock TV adverts are not enough to deter motorists from driving too fast. Now a pilot scheme is to be introduced in North Yorkshire that may finally provide the solution.

From today, volunteers with radar guns will patrol 50 sites across York, Selby and Harrogate to record speeding vehicles. Motorists will then receive a letter from police informing them of their offence and instructing them to take action.

This is sure to divide opinions. Some will say the police are solely responsible for enforcing the law and we have sympathy with that view. But North Yorkshire is a vast area and with resources being cut, the thin blue line is getting thinner.

If priority is to be given to solving and preventing more serious crimes, there should be some lateral thinking.

That said, speeding is also a criminal offence. It is still a significant problem and one that affects the quality of life of residents. People feel frightened by motorists who break the speed limit, especially for their children, and Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick, is right to say this scheme could be an important new tool.

The Community Speed Watch initiative is the first of its kind in the county, and was set up after research by Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan found 72 per cent of people felt more should be done to improve road safety. So perhaps it will give residents the chance to feel empowered at a local level.

We think this is an interesting exercise and will watch it with interest.