POLICE in Helensburgh face an "endless list" of speeding problem zones, the senior officer for the area says – but he also faces lots of obstacles in tackling them.

Inspector Roddy MacNeill told members of the Helensburgh and Lomond community planning group last week that more officers were being trained in the use of speed detection equipment – but that the area's speed detection van will only be deployed in 'hot spot' areas if crash figures justify it.

In March it was reported that motorists were driving through Cardross at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, with village resident Ken Chapman describing it as ‘the Cardross Grand Prix’.

Inspector MacNeill said “We have more officers being trained in using the laser to detect this, and the same has been done with our colleagues at Dumbarton.

“Inspector Gillian Gardner [head of road policing in Argyll and West Dunbartonshire] is aware of the problem and helping us as much as she can.

“We have the speed detection van to attend at Cardross and Arrochar, but it is only deployed through crash statistics.

“There can be speeding issues, but if there are no actual accidents it is difficult.

“Rosneath and Cardross have both asked about Speedwatch, but there is a bit of money involved in this. You need to buy your own equipment and you can’t really pull people up and get them to court – it is more of a presence.

“We were out this morning [of the meeting] with speed guns. These are demand-driven at the moment.”