CAMPAIGNERS have accused Redbridge Police of giving motorists a "green light to speed" after they failed to punish drivers caught breaking the limit at an accident blackspot.

Officers snared eight cars driving at "excess speed" in Broadmead Road, Woodford Green, in the space of just 90 minutes during an operation earlier this month - but all received nothing more than verbal warnings.

Households in the street, who have been campaigning for extra road safety measures to combat the problem of drivers regularly breaking the 30mph limit, said they were furious at the revelation.

Resident Susan Lazarus, who organised a 70-strong petition to Redbridge Council last month demanding action, said: "If they've caught so many speeding in such a short space of time it proves our point and just goes to show we need something done.

"If someone is caught speeding by a camera on a motorway they get a big fine, why couldn't they do that here as a proper deterrent?

"The police are just giving drivers the green light to speed.

"And the council aren't much better either. Since I handed in my petition I've heard nothing from them. They've put up two flashing school signs but it's not enough. They're no good in the evening or the school summer holidays, and they're only at one end of the road."

Broadmead Road has been the site of both major and minor crashes in recent years, including a head-on smash between a bus and a car last November and a collision between a motorbike and a suzuki in May that left one man in a “serious” condition in hospital.

One further motorist did have his car seized by police during the operation in Broadmead Road, which happened on Wednesday, July 8, between 1.30pm and 3pm.

The driver, an unnamed man, was arrested for not having a driving licence or insurance.

A further police operation, carried out by Bridge and Roding Safer Neighbourhood Teams, was also carried out later that afternoon on Hillside Avenue.

Five vehicles were given verbal warnings for excess speed during a 40-minute period.

A spokesman for Redbridge Council said: "When the Council received the petition regarding Broadmead Road, the petitioners were told by the chair of area committee two that this matter would be investigated by officers who would report back to a future meeting of the committee, this is still the case and the matter is being investigated.

"The new school signs are part of the Woodford Green Preparatory School 'safer routes to school' scheme."