DARTMOOR residents are taking the issue of speeding on the moor into their own hands by running Speedwatch sessions.

Campaigners are calling for traffic calming measures to slow vehicles following a rise in animals being killed by cars.

Dartmoor Forest Parish Councillor Gregg Manning is one of those concerned about speeding.

He said: ‘I have taken this problem on board and fully intend to do everything I can to change the way people drive on our moors.

‘Setting up Speedwatch was my idea and over time I hope to be able to persuade the authorities that with the increase in traffic and animal deaths we desperately need to start thinking about changes to calm traffic down.’

This year, Cllr Manning explained, there have been 146 accidents resulting in 128 animal deaths.

This compares to 83 deaths last year.

Cllr Manning is hoping to get vehicle activation signs installed which show the speed limit and the words ‘Please Slow Down’.

He says planners are not keen as they are bigger than two older signs which were in place and permanent.

Cllr Manning argued: ‘Doing nothing is not an option any longer unless we are happy to see our visitors leaving with holiday memories tainted with images of dead animals.’

During his session, Cllr Manning witnessed a vehicle overtaking at speed.

He said: ‘I think this highlights the total disregard that some drivers have for our moors and the animals that live there.’