POLICE have conducted “targeted patrols” in a village following concerns from local residents about speeding.

Officers from Wealden Police stepped up their presence in North Wealden across the weekend as part of Operation Downsway.

Targeted patrols in Hartfield and around Ashdown Forest included speed checks, as well as enforcing and educating drivers about the fatal five driving offences.

“A number of targeted patrols took place on the roads of North Wealden this weekend, including in areas of Hartfield and around Ashdown Forest under Operation Downsway,” a police spokesman said.

“Targeted patrols including various speed checks in areas reported by local residents, as well as officers enforcing and educating drivers over the course of the weekend around the fatal five driving offences - mobile phone use, excess speed, careless driving, not wearing a seatbelt and drink and drug driving.”

In addition, officers also responded to eight crashes from Friday to Sunday across the district.

“A stark reminder of the importance of our continued work around Operation Downsway and the work done all year around in helping to reduce the number of persons seriously injured or killed on the roads of Sussex each year,” the spokesman added.

At the start of April, Sussex Police launched Operation Downsway in an attempt to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured and to target antisocial and dangerous motorists.

Using a variety of tactics including the latest technology in automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and drones, Sussex Police aims to reduce the fatal five factors.

In the first two weekends of April, Roads Policing Unit officers responded and completed 108 traffic offence reports or conditional fixed penalty notices.

Eight arrests were made and a further 19 motorists were reported for summons.

Meanwhile, officers also issued 20 warnings for antisocial driving, while five vehicles were seized for either insurance or licence offences.

At the time, Superintendent James Collis added: “We know that the fatal five offences are the main factors that cause serious road traffic collisions.

“Which is why we simply will not tolerate the small minority of people who drive or ride anti-socially through the county, putting the safety of others at risk and therefore have a comprehensive plan to target those who do so.”