If you are caught speeding outside a Wandsworth school, you might not have to worry about paying a fine.

Instead a lecture from students may be on the cards.

The Junior Roadwatch scheme has been running since 2016, and sees year 5 and 6 pupils using speed guns in an effort by Wandsworth Council and the police to encourage drivers to slow down outside schools.

Now as part of the updated scheme, up to ten children are taken to a location near the school chosen by the police.

Any drivers found to be speeding or ignoring traffic rules are checked out using the Police National Computer and officers decide if the motorist is suitable to talk to the children.

If they are, the driver has a choice of enforcement action or having an educational road safety talk from either a police officer or council officer. If they chose the latter they will then be handed over to the children who in pairs will ask the driver questions about the offence and whether the experience has changed his or her view about road safety.

The first Junior Roadwatch event in this new format was held recently with students at Ronald Ross School.

Two drivers were stopped for ignoring a banned right turn and six for speeding.

Wandsworth’s cabinet member for transport Cllr Paul Ellis said: “We know that people are worried about speeding, especially outside schools, so Junior Roadwatch is a good way to catch people going too fast and make them think twice about their behaviour by meeting the young people affected.”