100+ seatbelt offences detected as ‘Surround a Town’ visits Southend

The latest ‘Surround a Town’ event took place in Southend on 20 April, with more than 100 seatbelt offences detected by Essex Police.

The surround a town initiative sees SERP focus resources in a concentrated and geographically targeted area, often where there are high rates of collisions and casualties.

Essex Police provides a highly visible presence around the town while SERP partners interact with the public in the town centre to promote road safety.

Surround a town uses a combination of enforcement and engagement to highlight the importance of safe and legal driving.

The operation in Southend saw 103 seatbelt offences detected, 18 drivers caught using a mobile phone and nine drivers caught speeding.

Four drivers were found to be driving without a MOT, with a further two driving without insurance. Six other offences were also detected.

A cyclist was also stopped for jumping a red light – and further checks on the bike showed that it didn’t have any brakes.

Road safety officers also engaged with several mobility scooter riders, reminding them that their scooters must be set to a maximum speed of 4mph when travelling on a footpath or pedestrian area.

The ‘Community Wheels’ vehicle and Fire Car were located in Southend High Street, where Essex County Fire and Rescue Service staff engaged with around 50 shoppers – particularly promoting the Extra Eyes campaign.

03 May 2018