Plea for help to tackle Burgess Hill speeding problems

Some Burgess Hill residents have been left in something of a Catch 22 situation when it comes to dealing with speeding drivers.
Burgess HillBurgess Hill
Burgess Hill

During public question time at a meeting of the Sussex Police and Crime Panel, in Lewes, police and crime commissioner Katy Bourne was told incidents of speeding were increasing in the town and was asked what deterrents were being put in place.

Mrs Bourne was quick to highlight the work of Operation Crackdown, which allows people to report issues such as speeding, drink driving and abandoned cars online.

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But the questioner, Mrs Knowles, pointed out that the service was only of use if a registration number could be provided – and some cars were going too fast, often in the evenings, for anyone to be able to make out the details.

She asked Mrs Bourne if more officers could be sent to hotspots such as London Road at night to deal with the problem – and was told that such a move would only be possible if people reported incidents to the police.

Mrs Knowles was asked if people in the area had formed a Community Speedwatch group, which enables volunteers to use hand-held speed cameras and send the details of speeding vehicles to Operation Crackdown.

Mrs Bourne said: “I understand the importance that the residents of Sussex place on road safety and I remain fully supportive of the work carried out by Sussex Police and the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership to tackle and prevent the main causes of serious injuries and deaths on the county’s roads.

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“I also acknowledge that safer roads and communities can be created by working together and sharing the roads responsibly.

“Operation Crackdown is a joint initiative run by Sussex Police and SSRP which provides the communities of Sussex with an opportunity to report specific instances of anti-social driving and enables Sussex Police to develop intelligence regarding repeat offenders, vehicles, times and locations which can then be used to plan, target and deploy police resources.”

For more information visit www.operationcrackdown.org