Following a public appeal, ten motorbike riders have been reported for traffic offences

Following a public appeal by Essex Police, ten motorbike riders have been identified and reported for traffic offences after engaging in anti-social and dangerous riding behaviour during the Southend Shakedown event on Easter Monday, 21 April.

The event, held along Southend’s seafront, attracted a large number of attendees and motorcyclists. While the majority of participants conducted themselves responsibly, a minority engaged in reckless behaviour that posed a serious risk to public safety.

Mr Adam Pipe, Head of Essex Police’s Roads Policing Unit, expressed concern over the actions of a few individuals who undermined the safety of the event. He stated:

The popular public event should have been a carefree family day, but instead attendees had to be extremely cautious and watch out for those showing off by riding dangerously and pulling wheelies and speeding. It’s not acceptable.

On the day, officers dealt with 40 traffic law offences. A subsequent investigation, which involved reviewing extensive video footage, uncovered 17 additional incidents of dangerous driving. This led to the identification and reporting of 10 riders for careless driving offences in May.

Examples of offences included:
• Performing wheelies along Marine Parade
• Executing uncontrolled stunts near arcades and pedestrians
• Overtaking dangerously within pedestrian crossings
• Conducting prolonged burnouts in crowded areas

Each of the identified riders has received a £100 fine and three penalty points on their driving licence.

Mr Pipe highlighted the broader context of road safety in Essex, noting that over 35 lives have already been lost on the county’s roads this year. He reaffirmed the force’s commitment to reducing fatalities and ensuring safer roads for all users.

We’re determined to do all we can to stop more lives being lost and with our partners in the Safer Essex Roads Partnership, our joint ambition is to have no road deaths by 2040 or sooner.
Responsible driving means safe roads.

Our work to identify other riders continues.

On Easter Monday, we identified and dealt with a total of 40 offences for:
• 23 Illegal, obscured or missing number plates
• 1 fail to stop incident, which was subsequently safely concluded
• 4 driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
• 2 careless riding incidents
• 5 riders without insurance
• 4 seizures under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act 1988
• 1 seizure for antisocial driving

Help us reduce road collisions and casualties in Essex and make our roads even safer. Report instances of poor and dangerous driving through Safer Essex Roads Partnership's Extra Eyes initiative.

More than ever, irresponsible, dangerous and illegal road behaviour is being recorded by road users. Through Extra Eyes this footage can be sent to, and reviewed by, an investigator within Road Policing at Essex Police.

Find out how by visiting Safer Essex Roads Partnership website.

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