People powercould help slowspeeding cars

They cite a successful scheme at Three Oaks where a team of volunteers have formed a Community Speed Watch Group to catch motorists driving illegally.

Guestling Parish Council decided to set up a Community Speed Watch team because of drivers regularly breaking the speed limit as they passed through the area.

Volunteers were trained by police officers in how to use speed monitoring equipment and between April and May they reported 152 vehicles travelling at between 36mph and 75mph to Sussex Police.

Offenders are written to by the force and warned to stick to the speed limits while those caught repeatedly breaking the law are monitored by police patrols.

Residents have said they have noticed a large fall in the number of drivers breaking the speed limit since the group was set up.

Graham Macpherson, a volunteer with the Three Oaks Community Speed Watch team, said: “I would recommend any village that has a problem to become active with speed watch and start to make your streets a safe place to be.

“Don’t expect overnight success but over time you can notice a difference.”

PC Paul Fielder, from Rye Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Speeding continues to be a key concern for all the residents in the Rye area.

“I am really thankful for all of the help and support that Community Speed Watch teams give us to help tackle such a far reaching problem.

“It is only through the collaboration of the local community working with the police to help educate drivers that we will stand a chance of reducing speeds and making our communities safer.

“We are keen to form Community Speed Watch teams in all of the villages but we need your help.”

Police have also been working to educate motorcylists in the Rye area talking with them about speeding and anti-social riding.