Nailsea police beat team had a busy evening conducting speed checks in the town centre after reports of motorists driving like they are on a racetrack.

And while the report provoked nearly 100 comments on the Nailsea People Facebook page opinion wavered from ‘well done, about time,’ from Andrew Kelly to ‘waste of police resources’ from others like Andy Fitzjohn.

But the most shocking comment came from Rochelle Shallcross who said: “A black Mercedes was driving about 70mph on Backwell Bow on Tuesday.

“The male driver deliberately tried to run me over and my three children, it was so scary.”

James Parson said this area is covered by CCTV and this needs to be checked.

And Emma Bryant told how her son was nearly knocked off his bike last week.

She said: “This was on the road before you reach the Scotch Horn Centre, the car shot up right behind him intimidating him and sped really close past him.”

John Cooper said: “It’s as if some inconsiderate people seem to think that the speed limit does not apply to them and they do not use their indicators at roundabouts and junctions.”

Some people asked for other roads to be targeted like Michelle Rogers who complained about speeding along Lodge Lane.

Sally Monnery highlighted those racing along the road towards Bristol and Katherine Lambert said those on route to the industrial estate at Southfield Road were a nuisance driving at excessive speeds.

Katherine said: “It's not just the boy racers, I've seen some older people in mega posh cars speeding too.”

And Graham Taynton said he also would like to see police out on the road from Tout’s Budgens to the bottom of Tower House Lane and Michele Sargent cited the motorbikes tearing around Trendlewood to the annoyance of safety conscious residents.

Waitrose worker Katrina Balshaw thinks she was caught doing 31-33 miles an hour in a 30mph zone.

This prompted a fierce debate on whether those just about the limit would get fined and points added to their licence.

Tony Randall said many cars have been clocked going at 60+mph.

Andy said: “They are out to deliberately catch people, if I saw someone speeding outside a school during school hours that’s fair... but you see police outside schools early on Saturday mornings.”

And he pondered if the exercise just to boost police coffers?

Vikki Jones said: I wish they would come and stand in North Street to get the idiots driving around with their noisy exhausts driving way to fast.”

Mike Rawlings said: “Anyone messing about on the road at the moment needs their head checked, if it went bad, do you really want to go to hospital/send someone else there?”

Sarah Goulty said: “There has been some ridiculous driving down Trendlewood Way.

“There are so many young families out on bicycles, people crossing the road.

“Any sane, responsible person would be driving at less than 20 miles an hour.

“I'm really surprised no one has been killed.”

Margaret Corfield said: “The West End of Nailsea is largely ignored…idiots driving like lunatics.

“The Causeway is a death trap.”

But Ben Daniels didn’t think now was the time to concentrate on speeding drivers.

He said: “That’s the spirit - catch a few people doing 34 mph and fine them - that’s the way to encourage the people during this difficult time.”

A police spokesman set out this response:

1. Among the thousands of calls a day, priority is ALWAYS given to serious crime;

2. When officers have time (from not dealing with traumatised victims, emergency calls for help, arresting criminals and the associated work to ensure they are brought to justice, dealing with risk to life, mental health issues, domestic violence, and right now the massive spike in calls from the public about their neighbours breaking lock-down rules....a job that has suddenly arisen from nowhere), their next priority is to attend to those things most concerning communities, based on the number of reports received;

3. Nailsea residents have reported significant concerns about dangerous and anti social use of vehicles in the town;

4. Our local officers find time, in between everything else, to respond to those concerns by carrying out highly visible, high profile checks like those shown here;

5. So now, the drivers of those vehicles causing danger and anxiety to residents know the police are checking (deterrent);

6. It is also a fact that often those who use vehicles in such a dangerous and anti-social way are also committing other offences, like driving without insurance, drink driving, driving under the influence of drugs. Occasionally, officers find stolen vehicles through these checks too, or find people in the vehicles who are wanted for other crimes like burglary, or stealing car; and

7. There is absolutely no financial advantage to police officers for issuing fixed penalty notices.