From School Speed Watch to roadside enforcement, The Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) came together across Colchester, as part of a Vision Zero day of action.
The education team visited Queen Boudica Primary School, speaking with parents about road safety, including how positive role model road user behaviours play a crucial part in keeping children safe as they take their next steps towards independence.
School Speed Watch activity took place outside St Michael’s School on Berechurch Hall Road, where children spoke directly to nine drivers caught speeding near the school, with a highest speed recorded of 39mph in a 30mph limit. Shockingly, during the session, a driver failed to stop at a red light near a Toucan crossing and was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice by officers.
Throughout the day, the engagement team 34 businesses, promoting the Business Driving in Essex programme and explaining how the programme helps to reduce employee road risk in the workplace.
At the enforcement site, Essex Police officers spoke with 25 drivers and passengers, discussing local road safety concerns and encouraging safer driving behaviours. Speed enforcement was also carried out, with officers recorded five speeding offences on Boxted Road and a further 13 on Halstead Road.
Enforcement activity throughout the day resulted in:
• 25 seatbelt offences, including two young children both not wearing seatbelts.
• Seven mobile phone offences.
• Three not in proper control offences and an illegal e-bike seizure.
• One careless driving offence.
• Three drug driving arrests.
• One disqualified driving offence; with a van driver pulled in for a mobile phone offence and their check coming back as disqualified.
In total, 50 offences were identified and three arrests were made during the operation.
The day demonstrated how education, community engagement and targeted enforcement work together to challenge risky behaviour and support safer roads across Essex. Every conversation, intervention and enforcement action contributes towards Vision Zero and the ambition of eliminating deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
Find out more about Vision Zero at www.saferessexroads.org/vision-zero
