Harlow: Operation Vision Zero - Working together to keep roads safe

Keeping people safe on Essex’s roads is not something the police can do alone. Every day, Essex Police work closely with partners, communities and local organisations to tackle dangerous driving, reduce collisions and prevent people from being seriously injured or killed.

This collaborative approach is at the heart of Operation Vision Zero, which supports the Safer Essex Roads Partnership’s commitment to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on Essex roads by 2040 or sooner. It brings together enforcement, education and engagement - focusing not just on catching offenders, but on changing behaviour and protecting lives.

On Tuesday 24 March, Essex Police, partner agencies and volunteers came together for a high‑impact Operation Vision Zero day of action in Harlow, delivering both enforcement and education across the town.

It was a productive and far‑reaching day, with teams widening the road safety footprint by working in the town centre, outside schools and with local businesses, ensuring road safety messages reached as many people as possible.

Essex Police’s enforcement teams were highly visible throughout the day, focusing on the behaviours most likely to cause serious harm on our roads.

During the operation, officers:

• Made four arrests for drug driving
• Arrested one person for possession of drugs
• Arrested one person for immigration offences
• Detected 55 seatbelt offences
• Detected 22 mobile phone offences
• Seized six vehicles for having no insurance
• Dealt with five offences for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
• Identified eight Construction and Use offences, including illegal window tints

In addition, officers reported one driver who had lived in the UK for 14 years but was still driving on a foreign licence, and arrested another driver for drug driving who was already serving a one‑year driving ban.

These checks are vital. Seatbelts, insurance, valid licences and road‑legal vehicles are all in place to protect road users. When people ignore the law, they put themselves - and others - at serious risk.

Alongside enforcement, the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) Road Safety Team focused on education and engagement, helping people understand how their everyday decisions can save lives.

Throughout the day, the team:

• Engaged with around 340 people outside Purford Green Primary School and inside the Harvey Centre
• Spoke to 16 local businesses, including opticians who showed their support for the Driving with Confidence message
• Spoke to 40 drivers and passengers at the enforcement site about seatbelt use and mobile phone safety

Some drivers admitted they had “forgotten” to wear a seatbelt so these conversations provided an important opportunity to explain the risks and reinforce small choices can have life‑changing consequences message.

Speed remains one of the biggest factors in serious collisions, which is why dedicated speed enforcement was also carried out.

During the day:

• 60 speeding offences were enforced on St Leonards Road, Nazeing
• 22 speeding offences were detected across Harlow town centre
• One motorcycle was recorded travelling at 57mph in a 30mph zone on Commonside Road
• In total, 141 offences were captured

The operation also highlighted the power of community involvement.

Pupils from Churchgate Primary School, supported by the Safer Essex Roads team, spoke directly to six motorists who had been recorded exceeding the speed limit. Many drivers were visibly impacted by hearing road safety messages delivered by children, reinforcing the real‑world consequences of speeding in residential areas.

Roydon Community Speed Watch volunteers also worked alongside police officers, sharing local knowledge, discussing peak speeding times and highlighting residents’ concerns.

Road safety is about more than enforcement. By working with schools, businesses, volunteers and partner agencies, Essex Police can reach more people, tackle risk from multiple angles and create lasting change.

Operation Vision Zero shows what can be achieved when everyone plays their part – from officers on the roadside, to children speaking up for safer streets, to local businesses supporting safer driving.

It was a brilliant day of collaboration across the district, and our thanks go to everyone involved for helping make Essex’s roads safer for all.

We're offering more ways for our communities to stay up to date with our work across Essex.

Our e-newsletter, Dispatch, delivers news, information, and advice from Essex Police.

Dispatch is a ‘one stop shop’ for local police news – direct from the source. 

Sign up is completely free and you can unsubscribe at any time.