A POLICE crackdown on motorists who break traffic rules has been hailed as a success by a senior police officer.

The Leytonstone Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) spent a whole afternoon targeting drivers who use mobile phones while driving, do not wear seat belts and who commit traffic violations.

Police issued fines to 46 motorists, 39 of whom also had penalty points added to their licenses, and four illegally-parked cars were towed away.

Sgt Colin Parker said the “zero tolerance day”, on September 24, was in response to residents' complaints about irresponsible motorists.

He said: “There have historically been concerns about traffic in Leytonstone, with people saying someone is going to get killed sooner or later.”

Sgt Parker said there was a particular problem with motorists going north on High Road trying to avoid the queueing traffic by driving down the wrong side of the road, in order to turn into Harvey Road and cut through the back streets.

Responding to readers' earlier criticisms of the zero tolerance day idea on the Guardian's websites, Sgt Parker said: “I did not just wake up in the morning and think 'let's have a blitz on motorists', this was in response to residents' concerns.”