Alton Town Council has agreed to let a neighbouring parish run two of its speedwatch cameras – and will also give them nearly £600 to do so.

Beech Parish Council are keen to reactivate the cameras on the A339 Basingstoke Road as part of a greater bid to put the brakes on speeding drivers in their patch.

The cameras were bought by ATC but are currently not active, but with the A339 running through both parishes, the “really active” community speed watch team in Beech is keen to take on their monitoring and operation.

As Beech Parish Council has a much smaller income and budget than ATC they asked their town neighbours for a £596 grant, with most of the sum going on a Roadside Connectivity Licence and re-registering the camera.

The request was approved when ATC held its full council meeting on Wednesday but there were two objections with some asking why they should hand out cash to operate something they own.

“This is work the police should be doing, not volunteers, and I think we made the right decision in pulling the plug on it,” said Cllr Matthew Kellerman.

He added: “I don’t see a reason to resurrect it even if the good people of Beech want to do it.”

Deputy Town Clerk, Hayley Carter, said police focus on a speed “heat map” rather than data. And with volunteers happy to provide the manpower instead of police, the reactivation of the cameras will likely lead to a much better picture of the worst speeding hotspots.

“Beech has a really active community speed watch team and they’re happy to take over the running of these two cameras,” added Sarah, with other councillors saying the third party offer “made sense” given the overlap of the two parishes.