Commercial Vehicle Unit use “safe pass” mat to promote horse road safety

In a Commercial Vehicle Unit first, officers use a “safe pass” mat to promote animal road safety at Chelmsford equine centre.

On Saturday 20 July, officers from our Commercial Vehicle Unit (CVU) attended Beechwood Equestrian Centre at Rettendon Common, Chelmsford, to promote equine road safety using a new “safe pass” mat used to inform and educate drivers about the safe passing distances and speeds for horses and wild animals.

The mat, supported and partly funded by road safety partners SERP and National Highways, visually shows drivers the minimum distance to observe to allow safe passing of, not only horses, but cyclists and pedestrians.

PC James Dawson said:
Essex county is blessed with great countryside and has a large rural community which is supported by our colleagues in the Rural Engagement Team.
As part of Roads Policing, it’s our job to keep the roads safe for everyone, especially our more vulnerable road users including riders and their horses.
During the summer, more vehicles will be on the roads, heading off towards summer events, beauty spots and beaches.
Inappropriate overtaking and close passing present real dangers for horse riders, and so we’re asking drivers to be more mindful of road safety when they encounter our four-legged friends on, or nearby our roads.
When approaching a horse and rider be patient, and when safe to do so pass wide and slow, allowing at least two metres of space at under 10mph so as not to frighten the horse.
In the event that you meet a horse, please remember that if they are scared, they can be unpredictable despite the best effort of their riders and could pose a hazard to other roads users.
Remember, there are three brains at work when you pass a horse; the rider’s, the driver’s and the horse’s.
In many parts of Essex, deer roam freely, often crossing roads and so the same approach is true for wildlife.
Drive to the speed of the road, and slow down when approaching a bend so you have sufficient time to stop in the distance you can see to be clear. By sharing the roads responsibly, we can all work together to reduce collisions and keep our roads moving freely.

During the event, officers offered mobile weighing of vehicles and trailers and offered specialist advice in connection with commercial vehicles.

We’re committed to working together with other forces and partners to reduce rural crime including the theft of horses, trailers, horseboxes, and tack.

To encourage property marking, CVU officers provided property marking services for tack and other valuables during the event which makes it easier to return items to its owner and helps deter theft.

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