Speeding motorists are to be targeted in Leiston after growing problems in several streets around the town.

Police community support officers have been carrying out speed checks – and 34 drivers have been sent letters warning them about their speed in the past two months.

However, tickets have not been issued and town councillors are becoming worried over the safety of other road users and frustrated at the lack of a real deterrent to solve the problems.

The Leiston and Aldeburgh Safer Neighbourhood Team has now agreed to make speeding its priority for the next three months and says drivers will be given fines if caught.

Leiston-cum-Sizewell town councillor David Bailey said: “It’s a serious problem and needs addressing.

“I think it’s a waste of resources to send out PCSOs to do speed checks if tickets are not being issued when people are found to be over the limit.”

Councillor Colin Ginger said: “How many vehicles do they have to find speeding before real action is taken?

“Thirty-four letters sent in two months is a lot and there would have been many more people speeding at the times when checks were not being done.”

PCSO Sam Maples told the town council that PCSOs could not issue tickets but now that the problem had been made a priority, PCs would be actively involved and they would be able to issue fines.

Recent checks had focussed on Leiston Road and King George’s Avenue.

Earlier in the year monitoring in Haylings Road and Abbey Road as part of a campaign to secure safety measures recorded the driving speeds of more than 40,000 drivers and found 28,000 of them breaking the 30mph limit.

Electronic vehicle activated speed warning signs that can be moved to different sites around the town are expected to be in operation in the new year thanks to funding from county councillor Richard Smith.