Hampshire Constabulary’s Safer Roads Unit carried out some work on the Island throughout May, June, July and August with over 900 speeding drivers caught throughout the summer and it’s set to continue, with 2 new road policing officers to join road policing efforts on the Island later this year.
The Safer Roads Unit forms part of our Joint Operations Unit (JOU) shared between Hampshire and Thames Valley, and they conduct proactive operations all over the 2 counties, as well as on the Isle of Wight.
In May, the team, caught 268 speeding drivers, in June they caught 221, in July, the team visited 23 sites on the Island catching 269 people speeding and in August, after visiting 21 sites, 142 speeding motorists were caught.
A number of locations across the Island were targeted over the summer, with the force confirming that activity took place on the Military Road and in a number of towns including Newport, Wootton, Ryde, Fishbourne, Binstead, Whippingham, East Cowes, Apse Heath, Brading, Sandown, Ventnor, and Yarmouth.
In addition to the efforts of the Safer Roads Unit, the local RP/ARV officers (joint roads policing and armed response) on the Isle of Wight also regularly conduct enforcement and engagement work in tandem with mainland roads policing officers who often visit the Island to provide additional support. Their efforts will be enhanced by the introduction of two dedicated Island-based roads policing officers who are expected to be in post later this year.
Teams also actively and regularly target drivers who display behaviours under the ‘Fatal Four’ banner. These are the 4 poor driving habits that often lead to serious or fatal collisions – drink/drug driving, driving without a seatbelt, speeding, and using a mobile phone whilst driving. In the period 17th August to 19th September, RP/ARV officers issued 36 tickets to drivers on top of their other duties, with 28 of these relating to ‘Fatal Four’ offences.
Hampshire Constabulary continue to encourage members of the public to report driving offences, and concerns around driving standards, to police so that they can identify the areas affected and take action to keep road users safer.
So 900 caught but no visible difference on the Island, everyday/night I am driving and always get those overtakes even though I myself might already be slightly over, look at all the accidents recently most excessive speed,if I had a radar gun I expect after ,5pm and w/ends in my road 30mph, I would catch possible over 200 in a week doing well over 50mph, some probably even more at night/early morning. Catching those doing 35 in a 30 is not stopping those intent going faster and killing. Why are speed camera’s only in middle of day when idiot drivers out at night?.
Place a speed camera down Great Preston Road Ryde
and it will be 900 in 1 day.
Also Great Preston Road Ryde requires Permit parking to solve parking problem.
Far too many households park on pavements.
Correct on all points! Some of the parking issues could be resolved to a certain extent if the householders used their drives to park on. But double yellows applied for all along one side so all will be parking on one side. The trouble with this is there will be no ‘chicane’ aka big white van, to slow the traffic down. Speeders will be able blast straight through with nothing to hinder them – I fear the speed will increase
All homeowners and Housing associations should turn front gardens into drives to free up congested roads so vehicles can be parked on drives.
Some households have 3 or more vehicles + company vehicles they bring home with them making parking impossible for all.
If permit parking was in place that would clear roads of unnecessary vehicles
therefore making roads safer & free for all.
The revenue raised from permit parking could also be used to make Roads safe.
Re parking issues I am surprised the Island are not doing their bit for the climate and start to gear up for electric vehicles.
Electric charging points need placing down many island roads so houses can charge their vehicles.
Who is ready to switch to electric if the infrastructure is not available.
Speed cameras will at least catch the culprits.
Fine them big.
Speed bumps are desperately required before someone gets killed.
IW Council need to research the amount of traffic that uses this DANGEROUS Road.
Great Preston Road is much busier than Marlborough Road.
Time to act.
If the Police trialled their Speeding Van down this Road, they will make a load of money.
I would love to see permit parking along this Road.
A much fairer system for everyone.
So the Great Preston road state funded social housing tenants who have high gardens so offroad parking is impossible for them are jealous of the working guys and gals who live opposite and use the opposite side for safe parking of vans for WORK.
Whilst work is something ‘others do’ to fund the moaning breeders of mini clones kept by state charity, with parents lifestyle as they sit at home writting notes to put on anyone who dares encroach what the spongers consider ‘their’ parking place, when they own nothing as our taxes keep and pay for all they have.
And to use others names to try to hide id is pointless as the van driver knows the unsightly red S.A charmer who is behind all this.
There seems to be no traffic law on the Island,
Motorists speed along Great Preston Road.
I have lived along this Road over 20 years, still the same.
Wish they would look around Ryde for the small motorbikes with very loud exhausts riding around purposely making the little bikes sound louder, with modified exhausts… especially up through the pedestrianised part of the High Street. ( also many cars go up in the evenings too} strange how the motorbikes all seem to have L plates on !! Just goes to show they do not know how to ride within the rules of the Highway Code.. !!
What about the Beryl scooters… youngsters riding with a passenger…
Same motorbikes down Appley Road too
BAN these moron driven motorbikes from the Road.
money given to charity was it lol
dont thumbs down wallies
im all for the speeders getting caught ,cant stand them but just wondered where all the fine money is used for!
Brilliant job. Well done in catching all these speeders. Way too many speeders on the island thrashing around with their overly loud exhausts driving as if their on a racetrack with no regard for the speed limits. Slow down, arrive safely.
Agree with the sentiments Sunshine, but the result must be looked at in context. Every day there will be more than 50,000 vehicles moving around the Island. Assuming that as few as one per cent speed at some time , that means a thousand offences are committed ever day or so, and that was all that was caught in the whole of the summer, when the car population doubles.
Well done guys keep up the good work but we still need more RP units over here not just 2 extra officers, put a zero on the end of that number and we will see bigger results.
Boomers drive to slow. Let’s get this island moving
Come back when you have grown up, and acquired some knowledge of the English language.
There are way too many accidents on Island roads at the moment! Whilst the Police efforts combatting speeding is important its not changing that, if anything it seems to be getting worse? Can I suggest the Police focus their efforts on enforcing good driving standards & educating motorists rather than the narrow pursuit of speeders?
Agree that would help. Far too many slow, but dangerous road users. Revenue is king, so speed camera is the simplest money earner.
Are they only targetting car drivers? It seems that way. I am often overtaken by motorbikes who pass me going well over the speed limit and are soon a spec in the distance or overtake in dangerous places. And don’t get me started on the non engined road users. Cyclists going the wrong way down one way streets, riding on the pavements. Escooters everywhere. Last week an escooter was coming towards me on my side of the road. I had to stop, he wasn’t going to.
Escooters “everywhere”. Yeah, sure.
I saw some gormless boy racer overtake on a bend !!!! How can you see what is coming round the bend ! You watch tonight they will be out in force as they have their pocket money, when are modified cars & bikes going to be banned ????
Great Preston Rd should be like Place Rd in Cowes
Works much better than Great Preston Rd in Ryde.
Lines completely down 1 side of the Road.
Traffic flows with ease.
I don’t miss my commute to Tesco.