The couple who face abuse while running a village speed camera

A husband and wife fed up with speeding drivers have caught over 100 speeding motorists by running their village speed camera.

Matt and Sarah Jones decided to take matters into their own hands, alongside councillor Naz Mian, and have since caught dozens of drivers going well over the speed limit.

But rather than points on licenses, the speeding drivers instead received letters advising them to slow down.

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

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

Still, they’ve tracked 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 are both 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 that we have the time to do this as a couple is the least we can do, and it feels great that we can work with the parish council.’

Sarah said that many of the drivers don’t realise they’ve been caught, but it doesn’t stop her and Matt.

Matt, 51, a 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 a hassle. You do it for half an hour, and it doesn’t take much of your day.’

Matt, Sarah and Councillor Mian began the Cross-in-Hand Community Speedwatch in September 2025 with the help of Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council and 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 is also a co-founder of the A267 Road Safety Campaign, which she set up after a fatal accident in October 2024 outside of her home.

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

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

Sarah added: ‘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 agreed: ‘Where we live is a hotspot for accidents. Speed is your enemy, and most of the accidents around here are because of excess speed.’

The couple said around 95% of the drivers who get a community speed watch letter don’t reoffend for the next year.

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

She added: ‘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 presence 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.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Comments Add as preferred source