AS someone who travels daily along the A689 from Hartlepool to Bishop Auckland I have been stunned of late by the number of police patrol cars and mobile speed units which have suddenly appeared along the stretch of dual carriageway, especially in the area around the A19/A689, give or take a couple of miles.

It made me wonder if there had been a spate of accidents or problems along that section of road.

I know the section of Newton Bewley is marked down as a 50mph zone, which means I always slow down to stick to the limits. Which is just as well – as a police car with a speed camera was tucked out of view of the A689 in the car park of the Blue Bells pub last week to try and catch drivers speeding.

Then I realised why the whole road around Wynyard Park has become a regular haunt for police speed traps. Since they moved to Wynyard Park from Cannon Park it must be so easy for police patrols to nip out to a busy main thoroughfare of the Tees Valley without travelling too far, earn a few quid with their sneaky speed cameras and be back in HQ in time for tea and biscuits. Easy, isn’t it?

Patrick Coles, Hartlepool.