POLICE stopped 50 drivers and discovered a stolen car during a day of action near Southend Airport and on the seafront.

Police joined forces with council officers and the Safer Essex Roads Partnership to stop and speak to drivers across Southend on Friday as part of Vision Zero enforcement, which is Essex Police's aim to eliminate traffic-related deaths.

 

During the crackdown, police stopped a total of 50 drivers for a variety of offences, highlighting road safety issues, educating motorists on aspects of the law and how to keep themselves safe as part of the policing activities.

Early on the day, police were at Nestuda Way near Southend Airport where 24 vehicles were stopped for a variety of offences.

One driver removed his tinted window cover as it proved illegal - not allowing the correct level of light through the windscreen - and a stolen vehicle was stopped because the driver was using a mobile phone. Ultimately, the driver was arrested.

Officers had a second site enforcement at Western Esplanade, where 26 drivers were stopped. Just as it was getting dark, two vehicles were stopped for defective lights.

In total 12 people were reported for not wearing seatbelts and four for mobile phone use.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "But the last word goes to the passenger who wasn’t wearing his seat belt - because he was sorting out a cup of tea. It’s not an excuse."