Speedsters targeted across Europe

Sussex Police are taking part in a Europe-wide speed enforcement campaign, the results of which will be collated across the continent to inform further work on reducing those killed and seriously injured in speed-related collisions.

The campaign is led by TISPOL, an organisation established by traffic police forces across Europe in order to improve road safety and law enforcement. Annually, 40,000 die on the roads of Europe - that's 555 double-decker London buses, 96 jumbo jets or nearly half the capacity of Wembley Stadium. Many thousands more suffer permanent, life-changing injuries.

In the 12 months to March 30 this year, Operation Crackdown, which provides an opportunity for members of the public to report speeding and anti-social driving behaviour, received 1608 speed complaints from across Sussex. .

Sgt Huw Watts, from Sussex Police Road Policing Unit, said: "Speed enforcement is an on-going activity across the Force area and by working closely with TISPOL we hope that we can spread speed awareness more widely and reduce the number of those killed and seriously injured, whether they are on Sussex roads or driving further afield.

"Too many people are being killed on the roads simply because they are driving too fast. We want drivers to realise that excessive speed is as dangerous as drink-driving and to understand that by sticking to the legal speed limits of the roads, unnecessary deaths can be prevented."

Neil Hopkins, communications manager for the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership added: "Everyone who drives on our roads has a responsibility to be safe, for the sake of themselves and others.

"Inappropriate or excessive speed is of concern across Sussex, and local residents can help us to make the roads safer by reporting drivers flouting the speed limits through Operation Crackdown. The theory behind Operation Crackdown is simple. Don’t tolerate it, report it. By working with Sussex Police on this important campaign we can help to make our roads safer. Concerns about anti-social driving can be reported on 01243 642222 or at www.operationcrackdown.org

"All the locations of speed cameras in Sussex are available on the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership website, www.sussexsaferroads.gov.uk.  The cameras aren’t there to make money, they’re there to reduce casualties."