MOTORISTS across the New Forest are the target of a hard-hitting campaign launched this week by the Forest Journal.

Over the next few weeks, we shall be looking at everything that affects Forest roads, in a bid to create A Safer Forest.

On the back of Hampshire Constabulary's Safer Roads campaign and working closely with local police and community groups, the Forest Journal aims to raise awareness of all the issues important to local people regarding roads.

We shall bring you the low-down on the work of the safety camera partnership and the crash investigation unit, and will talk to Bikesafe, as well as gather the latest facts and figures on speeding and drink-driving.

We shall also be talking to those most affected by road accidents and uncover tragic personal stories.

As part of the A Safer Forest campaign, Journal reporters will be teaming up with Fordingbridge police as they make speed checks. In March, we reported on their initiative trying to prevent speeding through the Forest's 40 mph zone.

Officers caught speeding motorists on average every six minutes. The offenders were mostly not fined but instead spoken to by agisters and commoners about the consequences of ignoring the limit.

Drivers were shown pictures of dead animals and crushed cars to ram home the message that speeding is dangerous and irresponsible.

The vast majority of people caught that day lived in the area.

Police believe this reflects a problem with complacency, and they are now planning to carry out similar operations on a regular basis.

Richard Manley, of the New Forest commoners' defence association, said: "I am 100 per cent in support of the Journal's campaign - if it helps save the life of one pony, it will be worthwhile.

"My message is that, while we are all aware that, in a modern vehicle, it is incredibly easy to do more than 40 miles per hour, the chances are that if you hit an animal at that speed it is extremely likely to die. And 500 to 600kg of pony is going to do a lot of damage to any car that hits it.

"We are not trying to pick on people - we're just trying to educate them. Part of living in the Forest is driving slowly - it is simply not the place for fast driving."

Sergeant Tim Adams, of Fordingbridge police, said: "There are those who say haven't we got anything better to do than go out with speed cameras.

"But people really do care about safer roads, and they do want enforcement in their towns and villages."

The consequences of road-users' actions affect the lives of all the people who visit, work and live in the Forest.

The Journal campaign hopes to help create A Safer Forest.

We want to hear your views. How do you think road safety should be tackled in the Forest? Are more speed cameras the answer?

E-mail us at forest@salis

buryjournal.co.uk