A SCHEME to cut speeding on Darlington's roads is being extended.

A speed visor, which measures the velocity of approaching traffic and lets drivers know if they are speeding, has been operating recently in Fitzwilliam Drive and West Auckland Road.

It has been so successful that it will be used in 14 undisclosed locations in Darlington over the next year.

Darlington Borough Council bought the visor, which is attached to lamp-posts on both sides of the road. It cost £8,000 to buy and £2,000 a year to run.

Police will work with the council to organise random checks for speeding motorists.

The 14 locations where the speed visor will be installed have been chosen by police and council officers who have carried out risk assessments to establish the most dangerous areas in the town. The trials of the speed visor revealed a sharp decline in people driving over the 30mph limit.

The council has also been carrying out work at accident blackspots in the town.

Assessments by experts revealed 12 sites which had high accident rates.

Over the past three years the council has spent more than £200,000 working to make the problem areas safer.

Traffic calming measures, junctions and speed restrictions have been introduced, resulting in the number of accidents at the sites being reduced by an average of 37 per cent.

Darlington council's cabinet member for highways and transport, Councillor Nick Wallis, said: "Road safety continues to be a priority for the council and it is encouraging to see the investment we have made to reduce speeding traffic and improve safety at accident black spots is making a real difference."

In addition to helping to improve road safety, Darlington council is carrying out training, education and publicity programmes, especially in schools, to encourage children to put safety first.

Coun Wallis said: "If we develop good habits and practices in the early years, there is a great chance of maintaining and building on this in the future."