UK - Speeding motorists being targeted

Speeding motorists being targeted

07 September 2007

Speeding motorists are to be targeted in a series of police operations across Waveney during the next two months.

It follows feedback to Suffolk police's new safer neighbourhood teams, which identified speeding drivers as one of the biggest scourges blighting neighbourhoods.

As a result, officers armed with speed guns will take a lead role in operations, which will also target a wide range of other driving offences.

Inspector Sally Gallant, who has organised the days with support from local neighbourhood inspectors, said: “We want again to highlight the issues and the dangers posed by motorists who are speeding, not wearing seatbelts, using mobile phones or committing other road traffic offences such as drink or drug driving.

“As we have seen in recent fatal collisions, any one of these can be a contributory factor - resulting in the death of either the driver themselves or an innocent member of the public.

“It is crucial motorists get the message that they are putting their lives and the lives of others at risk.”

Police chiefs will not advertise the locations of their operations in advance, but speeding through the district's villages has been identified as a particular problem.

On operation days, police officers will be joined by representatives from other agencies, such as councils, to carry out a range of spot checks on vehicles.

As well as speed guns, officers will also use automated number plate recognition equipment (ANPR) to highlight suspect vehicles.

Insp Gallant added: “We also want to target criminals who use the roads, often in untaxed, uninsured and unroadworthy vehicles, with the aim of making the roads safer for all who use them.”