FAR from passers-by whizzing through an unknown village, many speeding drivers causing misery for Old Coulsdon residents are local, it has been revealed.
A "large proportion" of warning letters sent out to drivers by anti-speeding volunteers go to local addresses, according to the chairman of the residents' association.
Brian Udell, chairman of the Old Coulsdon Residents' Association, is one of the volunteers who patrol the area's roads with safer neighbourhood teams and speed guns.
He told his group's annual meeting last week: "We take the details of the car and the colour – we check that with the DVLA and then the letters go out.
"Fifty letters went out in the last month.
"The interesting point is a lot of the drivers actually live in our own area.
"They say they know the roads, they know where they can speed, and they do not see it as a problem."
Drivers going too fast have long angered residents of Old Coulsdon, a 30mph zone. The area around Bradmore Green is a particular accident blackspot.
Ward Councillor Chris Wright told the meeting the council recognised that the problem was serious".
He pointed to a number of anti-speeding measures put in place, including pedestrian crossings and traffic islands.
However, the case for more measures needed to be very strong in order to secure any more investment, he said.
He said: "We have had many site meetings with officers in Croydon.
"Each time they come back to me – 'can you give me some more facts, some figures, can you show me how by spending money we can reduce accidents?'.
"And each idea we came up with, all of them I am afraid have been turned down for some reason or another.
"It is not that the council do not know and do not sympathise – we do – but we can only do what we are allowed to do by the law and the rules governing the distribution of money from the mayor."
He added: "Until motorists get the message that speed kills then I am afraid it is going to be very, very difficult."
Mr Udell said that more volunteers are needed to patrol the roads and send warning letters.
He added: "We go into any of the roads that have been risk-assessed by the police.
"One of the difficulties we have is through all this health and safety legislation we are forced to wear these horrible yellow jackets so when they come over the road and they see this yellow jacket then you can see them slow down."
