Locals have been left frustrated after a "brilliant" fake speed camera was quickly removed - which they said had helped with traffic chaos on their road."

Residents of Sandhurst Road in Catford, southeast London say they face an average of four crashes every month as well as a constant flow of buses which shake their houses "every three minutes."

But, after an alleged lack of action by the authorities, one mysterious person decided to take matters into their own hands - by installing a fake speed camera on Monday (November 10).

However, the structure was quickly taken away again - with footage showing a crane removing it on Wednesday morning.

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.

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 surrounding areas.

William 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."

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."