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Southfields Industrial Estate Road Policing Operation

31st August 2012
Posted by Gateway 97.8

A policing operation to combat dangerous driving and improve road safety in south Essex during recent back-to-back weekends has paid dividends.

The Southfields Industrial Estate had been attracting young motorists with their modified cars. In turn, road policing officers were drawn to the location like a magnet in order to dissuade any acts of dangerous driving. The first weekend offered officers an insight into the potential problems that were brewing.

They returned for a second weekend (August 26) and stopped approximately 60 cars and issued nearly one fixed penalty notice per car for an array of motoring offences.

Road Policing Sergeant Mark Ammon highlighted the primary reason behind his and other officers’ presence.

“Public safety is our business and priority,” said Sgt Ammon. “Our operation was intended to target those people driving in a dangerous or anti-social manner and who posed a serious risk to public safety. We focused on those offences which we regularly witness as causation factors in crashes.”

Two cars were found to be so poorly-maintained that they were immediately prohibited from travelling any further until they were restored to a suitable condition. Two drivers were subjected to Field Impairment Tests after they were suspected of being under the influence of drugs while over 30 breath tests were conducted. One driver was searched and had a small amount of cannabis. He was issued with a fixed penalty notice after admitting to the offence.

Sgt Ammon added: “We were initially met with hostility, but then we were issuing a high number of fixed penalty notices for an array of motoring offences. We’re still conducting enquiries on a number of other motorists as we doubt some of the information that was given to us has been disclosed to their insurance companies. We want to ensure they are made aware of vehicle medications.”