Essex Police launched a new partnership with the road safety group TyreSafe on 18 March 2026 to help make the roads safer for drivers across the county, including in Southend-on-Sea. The initiative focuses on identifying dangerous or illegal tyres and educating motorists to prevent avoidable accidents throughout the rest of the year.
The decision to work together follows a winter police campaign against drink and drug driving, known as Operation Limit, which ran between December 2025 and January 2026. During those checks, officers observed that many vehicles were being driven with tyres that were worn out or had serious faults.
Inspector Steve Rooney from the roads policing unit said the force is seeing a high number of dangerous vehicles first-hand, but the fear of detection among many offenders remains low. He explained that by partnering with experts, the police aim to raise awareness, improve compliance, and stop people from getting hurt on the road.
This new project will see the police and safety experts share information and resources to help drivers keep their vehicles in a legal condition. The initiative will continue for the rest of 2026 to ensure that road safety remains a priority for everyone living in the community.
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