Residents of Fillongley, Warwickshire, have introduced knitted figures resembling speed cameras and officials in an effort to reduce speeding at a hazardous junction near a local school. The initiative comes in response to a series of 11 traffic accidents over four years at the crossroads, which has a 30 mph speed limit.

The handcrafted figures, created by the Fillongley Knit and Natter group, include mannequins dressed as traffic officers in hi-visibility jackets holding speed guns, as well as children seated on a bench bearing road safety messages. According to Heather Badham, 58, a member of the knitting group and parish clerk, the presence of the figures has led to a noticeable decrease in speeding. “They think it’s an actual speed camera and slow down,” she explained.

However, the effort faced a setback recently when one of the RAF-themed knitted figures was stolen. Badham expressed disappointment over the loss, noting the significant time and effort invested in creating the figures.

Meanwhile, Warwickshire Council has approved plans to install traffic lights at the junction and is exploring additional measures to enhance road safety in the area. The combination of community-led initiatives and planned infrastructure improvements aims to address the ongoing concerns about traffic incidents near the school.