Essex Police has teamed up with a road safety charity to tackle the problem of dangerous and illegal tyres across Essex, including on roads in Clacton-on-Sea. The partnership with TyreSafe was announced on 18 March 2026 and aims to reduce accidents by making drivers more aware of tyre maintenance.
The move follows “Operation Limit,” an enforcement campaign between December 2025 and January 2026, where officers frequently discovered vehicles with illegal or dangerous tyres. In one case, a vehicle was immediately prohibited from use after police found all four of its tyres were bald, with some worn down so much that the internal ply and cords were visible.
Drivers are being reminded that using illegal tyres can lead to a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for every tyre that does not meet the legal limit. Essex Police serves more than 1.86 million residents and is currently focusing on increasing safety checks to stop avoidable harm on the road.
Roads Policing Inspector Steve Rooney said that officers are seeing first-hand many vehicles being driven in a dangerous condition, which creates an enormous risk to the public. The force plans to use this new partnership to help drivers understand safety rules and to catch those who ignore them.
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