POLICE stopped and checked more than 280 vehicles during a major road safety and crime prevention operation in Basildon.

The operation yesterday was also part of the Essex County Council No Excuse campaign to raise awareness that there is no excuse for offences such as speeding, driving while using a mobile phone, not wearing seatbelts and driving without insurance.

Officers used automatic number plate recognition technology (ANPR) and mobile patrols to detect offenders whose vehicles were escorted to check points at Eastmayne and Pitsea.

In total eight people were found to have no insurance and face fines of £300 and six penalty points on their licences. Six of the insurance offenders had their vehicles seized and taken to a recovery yard where they will face paying a further £150 in recovery fees, plus £20 a day after the first 24 hours.

A total of 143 drivers were stopped for not using seat belts and 21 drivers were seen using mobile phones at the wheel. Five drivers were stopped for speeding.

All 169 offenders were referred to driver retraining courses instead of being prosecuted.

A total of 16 vehicles were found to have expired MOTs, an offence that carries a £100 fine, one driver had no licence and received a £100 fine and three points, and one driver had a bald tyre and was also handed a £100 fine and three points.

Six other motoring offences were dealt with and numerous verbal warnings were also given.