Last week, The Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) was out across Essex in communities, schools, and universities, engaging with hundreds of people to share one clear message: every action counts towards saving lives on Essex roads.
Basildon Vision Zero Day of Action
The Basildon Vision Zero Day saw the partnership combine education, enforcement, and engagement. These events combine road safety education with targeted Essex police action, such as checking for seatbelt use, speeding, and mobile phone use, while also speaking to communities about road safety concerns.
Enforcement activity:
- 36 drivers spoken to at the roadside
- 24 seatbelt offences detected
- 7 mobile phone offences
- 4 stop checks and 1 number plate offence
- 2 vehicles seized and 3 illegal e-scooters confiscated
- 30 drivers reported by TruCam across five sites- the highest speed recorded was 68mph in a 50mph limit on Broadmayne
At the School Speed Watch, pupils helped stop 14 speeding drivers, with the highest recorded at 56mph in a 30mph zone. Their involvement brought home the message that speed affects real people, and children’s voices have the power to change driver behaviour.
Community engagement was strong throughout the day, with 161 interactions with schools, local businesses, and residents across Basildon- all pledging to play their part in keeping roads safe.
Engagement at Anglia Ruskin University – Chelmsford Science Festival
The team also attended the Chelmsford Science Festival at Anglia Ruskin University, engaging with over 300 students aged 15–16.
Discussions focused on visibility and vulnerability, with many young people expressing concern about wearing dark clothing and not being seen by drivers. This reinforced the SERP’s Be Bright, Be Seen campaign, which highlights the importance of visibility for all road users, especially as darker evenings draw in.
Students and staff were encouraged to sign the Vision Zero pledge, committing to safer choices on the road and helping us move towards the SERP’s ambition of zero deaths and serious injuries on Essex roads by 2040.
Why Vision Zero Matters
Every action, from drivers slowing down near schools to students making themselves visible, contributes to a culture where no loss of life is acceptable on our roads. Vision Zero is more than an ambition- it’s a shared responsibility.
Together, through education, enforcement, and engagement, we’re making every interaction count toward a safer future.
Learn more or sign the Vision Zero pledge: www.saferessexroads.org/visionzero
