By JOSE RAMOS, NEWS REPORTER
Furious about speeding drivers erected a fake speed camera on their road - before council workers took it down.
Residents say the rogue installation was propped up overnight on Sandhurst Road in Catford, southeast London.
The stretch of road has become a crash-prone rat run, locals insist, where buses thunder past 'every three minutes' and collisions have become a grim monthly routine.
The DIY camera, which mimicked official enforcement boxes, was bolted to a post on Monday, and motorists actually began hitting their brakes.
Neighbours said the sudden calm was unmistakable, describing the short-lived deterrent as 'brilliant' and the first thing to make a dent in the chaos after repeated pleas to the council fell on deaf ears.
But by Wednesday morning, the rebellion was over as council contractors arrived with a crane to hoist the imitation device away, sparking fury among residents who say the fake camera did more to protect them in 48 hours than authorities have managed in years.
Residents say the false enforcement of a 20mph speed limit had started to make a difference, with cars beginning to slow down on the few days it was in place.
Residents say the rogue installation propped overnight on Sandhurst Road in Catford, southeast London.
By Wednesday morning, the rebellion was over as council contractors arrived with a crane to hoist the imitation device away
Many members of the Safer Sandhurst & Sangley group and nearby Together for Verdant lane group have praised the vigilante who put it there, calling them a local hero.
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'No idea who made it - but it was pretty convincing. And it really did slow traffic down. The difference was surprising.
'Sadly, things are back to normal now, and the council is still doing nothing to stop the speeding or pavement parking.
'The speeding on Sandhurst Road is out of control and for a really brief period it got much calmer.
'[The council] told us that our chances of getting a real one are basically zilch. I am a cyclist, and my road is the scariest bit of my commute - people treat it like a motorway.'
Freedom of Information (FoI) data suggests there has been over 17,000 incidents of speeding buses in the street since 2021, with some travelling at more than double the speed limit.
Transport for London (TfL) also confirmed that there have been 85 crashes involving buses over the last four years - including crashes in neighbouring Sangley Road.
Resident Eddy Scoble, 40, says that he thought the camera was real and he was extremely disappointed when it was removed.
He said: 'The road was so much quieter, and drivers didn't overtake me as fast as well. I didn't realise it was fake.'
William Bloomfield, 37, who has lived on the attached Verdant Lane for over five years with his wife and toddler, previously compared the area to the action series Mad Max.
An FOI request submitted by residents revealed that there were 74 reported crashes on Verdant Lane between 2019-2024, which is over three times that of the surrounding areas.
Neighbours said the sudden calm was unmistakable, describing the short-lived deterrent as 'brilliant' and the first thing to make a dent in the chaos after repeated pleas to the council fell on deaf ears
Mr Bloomfield said: 'From what I understand, someone made a fake speed camera.
'Whoever has done this is trying to slow the traffic down and this is a problem across Sandhurst and Verdant Lane.
'I think this is a case of residents taking matters into their own hands and just trying to slow traffic and help everyone stay safe. I think it was a brilliant idea.
'You get cars blasting down at 60mph. It often makes Verdant Lane feel more like a scene from Mad Max than a residential road filled with families and young children.
'We are just getting absolutely nowhere with the council. There isn't the support that we need. We have been talking to them for a year now and nothing has happened.
'It is causing a lot of damage too, we have had entire houses destroyed by speeding cars. There have been dozens of our cars that had to be scrapped because they were damaged so bad.'
A spokesperson for Lewisham Council said: 'We strongly discourage people from putting up fake signs or cameras. Residents who do this run the risk of legal action if these lead to an accident.
'We have been working closely with residents on Sandhurst Road to address their concerns regarding speeding on their road and recognise the frustration they must be feeling.
'The Council is not responsible for the route and speed of buses, but we have passed on resident concerns to TfL.
'We are in the process of introducing new measures (planters and street furniture) to calm traffic and prevent inconsiderate parking, which causes severe disruption to pedestrians, particularly those with children or mobility issues.
'The Council has also undertaken a comprehensive consultation with residents as part of the Sustainable Streets programme to explore proposals to improve safety and accessibility.'
