Couple keeping community safe by tracking speeding cars

By Filipa Gaspar

A husband and wife team have caught over 100 speeding motorists by running their village speed camera - and regularly get abused by irate drivers.

Matt and Sarah Jones got fed up with motorists disobeying the limit and decided to take matters into their own hands.

Together, alongside Councillor Naz Mian, they have caught over 100 motorists.

Drivers caught speeding receive letters, rather than points, and are advised to lower their speed.

Despite their success Sarah said often drivers make "unpleasant rude hand gestures" through the windows when they see the group.

They have so-far recorded 100 vehicles speeding out at the A267 in Cross-in-Hand, East Sussex - with the highest recorded speed in a 30mph zone being 50mph.

Sarah, 47, a PR consultant said: "We both are lucky enough to pop out and do this session between us weekly and sometimes together.

"It's in my heart to make this road safer.

"The fact we have the time to do this as a couple it’s the least we can do and it feels great that we can work with the parish council."

She added: "Often we have drivers making unpleasant, rude hand gestures through the window because we are there.

"A lot of them don't know they have been caught

"But it hasn’t stopped us. We keep doing it."

Matt, 51, company director, said: "It is something that we are doing together for the community to raise awareness.

"I am just doing my little bit to support her.

"I enjoy doing it - it's not too much of an hassle.

"You do it for half an hour and it doesn't take much of your day.

"Since we started doing it I became way more aware of my driving."

The trio launched Cross-in-Hand Community Speedwatch in September 2025 with Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council and supported by Sussex Police.

To operate properly they get their equipment from the Parish Council - including speed guns, high-vis and ways of documenting what the vehicle is.

Sarah Jones is also a co-founder of the A267 Road Safety Campaign.

She set up the after a tragic and fatal accident in October 2024 outside her house.

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A truck was driving northbound on the A267 when it collided with a black Ford Focus in the southbound lane.

The Ford's driver, a 32-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sarah said the Cross-in-Hand Community Speedwatch group was developed as an extension of this campaign.

She said: "We came on board very quickly because I set up A267 Road Safety Campaign which promotes road safety between Mayfield Roundabout to Horam safer since a road accident happened in front of my house.

"The road is notorious for accidents and speed is a massive problem.

"One of the things we can do to reduce speed cases was a community speed watching."

Matt added: "Where we live is an hotspot for accidents.

"Speed is your enemy and most of the accidents around here are because of excess speed."

The trio have been working together weekly and they have been welcomed by the local community.

Since then they have caught 100 vehicles speeding and they have monitored over 3000 vehicles.

They have also caught people driving without insurance and tax.

Sarah said: "95 per cent of drivers that receive a community speed watch letter don’t reoffend for the next 12 months.

"You are given a warning, not a fine.

"People see us and they slow down."

Sarah said the group is looking to recruit more people to join in order to prevent future tragedies on the road.

She added: "The more people we have in the team the more we can do.

"We are determined to continue the session and it’s great to support what the community is doing.

"People going past the speed limit is an issue across the UK.

"There might not be a stronger police numbers where we are in the country and no speed cameras around here so to be able to do it this way is really important.

"It's a really good way of working on a community level.

"If I can help as a member of the society to highlight and raise awareness for the need of road safety it’s been quite interesting."

Inspector Vicki Rees for Sussex Police said:

“Every year in Sussex, we know that more than forty people lose their lives on our roads and more than a thousand people are seriously injured.”