POLICE are more interested in making revenue from speeders on the A3 than catching reckless drivers in the surrounding villages.
That’s the claim a disgruntled villager made during a meeting in Rowlands Castle amid calls for officers to carry out more speed checks in the area.
The complaints gave Almera Toogood and Patricia Gibbs plenty to think about as they told people who attended the annual parish meeting that “very little” crime happens in Rowlands Castle.
Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) said vehicle crime and illegal off-road motorcycling around Havant Thicket were the most frequent incidents in the area.
“We’re inundated with those calls but the majority come from the Leigh Park side,” said PCSO Toogood.
“We do patrol the area and we’re working very closely with our colleagues in Havant but these incidents happen on their side, mostly.”
While crime may be low in the village, speeding remains a big concern for many residents, especially during the morning and evening rush hour.
“I’ve always been concerned about the speed of traffic on Bowes Hill, because it can be in excess of 50mph,” said one resident to the officers.
“There are peaks around eight in the morning and five at night when drivers are just determined to get where they’re going with a total disregard of how fast they’re going.
“I think the police do all the speed checks on the A3 just for revenue.
“It’s areas where there’s an inter-action between the pedestrian and motorists where the risk is highest and I think putting up speeding cameras is the only way they’ll get the message.”