Friday 26th April 2024

Sussex Alerts - Lewes and Seahaven Police

Operation Downsway

Further checks continued last weekend as part of Operation Downsway.

Last weekend, Officers spent time along Nevill Road, in Lewes following reports of both ASB driving and excess speeding in the area.

Over the course of their checks a number of vehicles were recorded exceeding the residential speed limit for the area; drivers recorded will have been spoken to at the roadside, or will hear from us in due course.

Throughout the Spring and Summer months, our Operation Downsway targeted patrols will be out and about in both known and reported areas of ASB driving to educate and enforce drivers around the fatal 5 driving offences.

The aim of the operation is to help:

-Reduce the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on the roads of East Sussex

-Reduce the number of reported incidents of anti-social driving

-Increase public confidence in local policing through increased visibility and patrols

-Target those individuals who are prepared to drive on the roads in an anti-social or irresponsible manner.

-Residents are also being encouraged to alert us to road safety issues that are impacting their communities.

Tell us where ASB driving is an issue by completing this survey online.

The campaign compliments road safety checks and activities all year round.

Remember too, you can report anti-social driving or abandoned vehicles via Operation Crackdown online or those without access to the internet can call 01243 64 22 22.

Seaford Community Speed Watch

Thank you to our Seaford Community Speed Watch (CSW) Volunteers for sharing.

Last weekend your Seaford CSW group conducted an hour and a half of CSW speed checks along the A259 Eastbourne Road.

Disappointingly 23 vehicles were recorded over 35mph in the 30mph residential area, with a top speed recorded of 50mph.

We continue to thank local volunteers for their dedication to road safety.

You can find out more about CSW groups in your area, and join online by visiting CSW online here.

What is CSW?

Community Speedwatch (CSW) is a national initiative where active members of local communities join with the support of the Police to monitor speeds of vehicles using speed detection devices.

Vehicles exceeding the speed limit are referred to the Police with the aim of educating drivers to reduce their speeds.

In cases where education is blatantly ignored and evidence of repeat or excessive offences is collated (even across county borders), enforcement and prosecution can follow.

Operation Downsway results so far

Since the launch of Operation Downsway a few weeks ago; your Lewes and Seahaven policing teams have been out conducting a number of both educational and enforcement visits and patrols across the district.

A number of drivers and riders have been spoken to during the last few weeks, as well as a number of enforceable offences committed on our roads.

Including stop checks for excess speed on the 6th April along Nevill Road in Lewes, where 6 traffic offence reports (TORs) were issued for varying speeds exceeding the road limit.

Night time patrols on the 10th April around Telscombe Cliffs and into Newhaven, around the top of Court Farm Road and on to the cliff tops, following repeated reports of off-road motorcycles being ridden in an antisocial manner causing distress to the local residents.

Resulting in two young males who were witnessed by officers riding anti-socially. Both were stopped, and as a result two Section 59 notices were issued, as well as strong words of advice given to their parents.

Late evening on the 12th April, officers were on patrol in Seaford along Bishopstone Road when they noticed a male driving in an anti-social manner. Officers safely pulled over the driver and roadside checks were completed. It transpires the male held no insurance and as a result his vehicle was seized under section 165 of the road traffic act.

Operation Downsway launched in April in East Sussex and will run every weekend through the summer months.

Activities are driven by public reporting, and we continue to encourage members of the public to help promote safer roads by reporting incidents of anti-social driving to Sussex Police or online via our Operation Crackdown website.

Click, Call, Connect

Follow Lewes Police on Facebook here.

For non-emergency incidents or crime prevention advice, click www.sussex.police.uk,  (If you report a crime online, we will assess it in the same way as a 101 call).

Call 101 when you don’t require an urgent response. 

In an emergency when life is threatened or there is immediate danger always call 999.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, you can contact us using TypeTalk on 18000 or by sending a text to 65999.