Motorists asked to spy on bad drivers
Tuesday 21 September 2010 Back to Blog
Van contract hire drivers could find themselves reported to the police by fellow motorists should they commit a traffic offence.
It has been revealed that Sussex Police are trialling a campaign called Operation Crackdown in which members of the public are encouraged to inform the police of anyone they see driving illegally or inconsiderately.
Anyone reported twice in a year could face police action under the scheme, such as a home visit or a warning letter.
Since launch, Sussex Police have received 20,488 reports from the public with warning letters sent to 2,695 drivers.
A further 1,047 have been sanctioned for offences such as having an out-of-date tax disc.
It is thought that if successful, the scheme could be rolled out across the country.
But privacy campaigners have criticised the operation.
Dylan Sharpe, of the campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: "This scheme is wide open to abuse, ranging from people with minor grudges against neighbours to busybody drivers who think they know what constitutes bad driving."
Van drivers in London could also soon be faced with average speed cameras being used to control 20mph zones throughout the city following a trial by Transport for London.