“I love it when you’re here—what a difference to the speeds. Thank you.”

That was the message from one resident after we carried out a series of operations tackling speeding and promoting safe driving over the last week.

In total we recorded more than 450 offences.

The initiative focused on protecting vulnerable road users—particularly children and pedestrians—as daylight hours shorten and road risks increase.

Key Enforcement Areas and Results:

• Loughton, Epping Forest, Theydon Bois, Chigwell, Harlow
  Officers recorded 56 offences, with visible roadside presence making a clear impact.
  A resident at Chigwell Rise approached officers to say:
  “I love it when you’re here—what a difference to the speeds. Thank you.”
• Thurrock: Corringham, Chadwell St Mary, Chafford Hundred, Purfleet
  In just 30 minutes, officers captured 32 offences, including a vehicle travelling at 49mph in a 30mph zone.
  Across the wider Thurrock area, 58 offences were recorded.
• Chelmsford and Surrounding Routes
  Enforcement on key roads including the A130, Wakes Colne, Panfield, Cressing Road, Broad Road, Sturmer Road, and Rayne Road resulted in 159 offences.
• Basildon: A13, Ashlyns, Vange & Merrylands Schools
  Officers focused on school zones, capturing 10 offences outside Vange Primary School and 14 offences outside Merrylands School, where one vehicle was recorded at 56mph in a 30mph limit.
  Across Basildon, 89 offences were recorded.

Supporting Operation Dark Night

This enforcement supports NPCC’s Operation Dark Night, a national campaign aimed at improving road safety during darker months. Essex Police focused on school zones and residential areas to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and encourage more considerate driving.

Commitment to Safer Roads

We remain committed to reducing harm on the roads and protecting all road users. We will continue to work with communities and partners to ensure that speeding and dangerous driving are addressed robustl

This article originally appeared on essexpolicemedia.co.uk and was republished with permission.