‘Gap’ in reporting speeding and anti-social drivers

Members of the public have highlighted a ‘gap’ in the Operation Crackdown service, which was set up to help people report all kinds of anti-social driving.

At a Worthing town hall meeting on Thursday, where Katy Bourne was a guest, resident Clive Andrews pointed out that reports of speeding would not be accepted under Operation Crackdown unless they were backed up with camera footage.

While praising the service as ‘valued’, Mr Andrews said: “As most people, particularly pedestrians, are unable to provide such footage, does [Mrs Bourne] accept that this now leaves a gap in speeding reporting, with many incidents not reportable through Operation Crackdown?”

She had been asked a similar question during a meeting of the police and crime panel, where concerns were raised about speeding in Burgess Hill.

Mr Andrews added: “If, for other forms of anti-social driving such as mobile phone use, police and public both accept that prosecution is not the only goal and non-evidence reports are valued and welcomed, why has the ability to report speeding in this way been removed?

“Will it be reinstated in order to provide a more accurate picture of the extent of the problems caused by speeding drivers?”

Mrs Bourne said she was aware of the issue and it was being looked into.

She added: “My understanding of it is you have to corroborate speeding with camera footage, otherwise there’s nothing to stop people who are just reporting someone they want to get back at.

“It stops those vexatious reports coming in.”

Operation Crackdown is a joint initiative run by Sussex Police and the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership.

It allows people to report any kind of antisocial driving such as speeding, using a mobile phone while driving and aggressive driving as well as abandoned vehicles.

For more information visit www.operationcrackdown.org