SPEEDING traffic is the target of a proposed scheme which could safeguard livestock on Dartmoor.

Dartmoor Forest Parish Council has become increasingly concerned about speeding traffic on moorland roads, which it believes is the dominant cause of grazing animal deaths.

And as a way of combating the issue, a range of measures have been suggested, including bidding for funds for two portable vehicle activated signs (VAS), seeking police enforcement action on moorland roads at optimum times and establishing a moorland community speed watch programme, similar to that operated in Lydford, which monitors the A386 on Vale Down.

The flagship policy programme has already received support from the Duchy of Cornwall, the Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Dartmoor Forest Trustees.

To aid operational planning for the scheme, the council has arranged to receive copies of the records from the Dartmoor National Park Authority vehicle activated signs (VAS) to help plan the most effective times for Moorland Speed Watch monitoring of traffic.

Nigel Tigwell, parish clerk for Dartmoor Forest, said a number of people from the community have already come forward to volunteer to the programme.

He added: ‘The council is aware, through initial, informal discussions with the police, that the establishment of a moorland speed watch scheme would place an additional administrative and training burden on the local police service and the council wishes to minimise this impact.

‘While the initial training must inevitably be performed by the police, the council hopes ongoing training might be delegated to suitably qualified and approved volunteers.

‘Discussions with the police are ongoing and much work needs to be done before any final decision can be made on whether the scheme can be approved.

‘Dartmoor Forest Parish Council believe that with its volunteers, it has the will and the capacity to operate an effective moorland speed watch scheme in the medium and long term, provided it has police support in the short term to build its capability through provision of training and specific equipment.’

Rob Steemson, head ranger for the Dartmoor National Park, said that the rangers had found that those who caused the incidents on Dartmoor’s roads were mainly those who used the moor as a commuter route.

‘Rarely do we have visitors causing incidents as they respect the speed limit — accidents are mainly caused by local people going about their daily business.

‘The Dartmoor National Park is always concerned over incidents of vehicles and animals on the main roads on Dartmoor.’