Targeted speed checks across Essex have helped identify and deter risky driving behaviours.
During the summer week of action, Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) partners, Essex Police, delivered a series of road safety operations aimed at preventing harm and protecting communities.
As part of a county-wide initiative using a targeted road safety approach, officers from Essex Police’s Enforcement team visited over 30 locations in just one week of this ongoing campaign, from Takeley to Clacton, to Southend and Colchester.
This approach is designed to reduce offending by making enforcement less predictable, encouraging safer driving habits at all times, not just when drivers are expecting to be watched.
Across the week, a total of 616 offences were recorded. Public sentiment was overwhelmingly positive, with residents, Community Speed Watch (CSW) volunteers, and local councillors voicing their support.
One young mother in Basildon commented at the roadside: “It’s brilliant to see the heightened enforcement after so many collisions on this road. You being here is keeping not only myself but my young family safe.”
Adam Pipe, Head of Roads Policing, said: “We’re committed to making our roads safer for everyone. By taking a targeted and unpredictable approach to speed enforcement, we can make a real difference in communities that are concerned about road safety. The positive feedback from residents and volunteers reinforces just how important this work is. Our presence on these roads is helping change behaviour and preventing collisions before they happen.”
He added: “We remind the public that even small increases in speed dramatically reduces stopping distances and increase the risk of serious injury or death, especially when combined with other common risk factors such as distraction or careless driving.”
Enforcement and road safety checks will continue across Essex throughout the summer and beyond, as part of the SERP’s ongoing commitment to Vision Zero, the ambition to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries in Essex by 2040.
Find out more about how you can support Vision Zero and help us save lives at: www.saferessexroads.org/vision-zero
