Speeding, Road Safety and Why This Matters Now

If there’s one issue that comes up again and again when I speak to people locally, it’s speeding.

Not just as an annoyance.

But as something that genuinely makes people feel unsafe.

• Parents worried about children walking to school
• Residents avoiding crossing certain roads
• People feeling like traffic is moving too fast through their communities

And the reality is, they’re right to be concerned.

In 2025, 60 people lost their lives on Essex roads, the highest number in almost a decade.

Almost half of those deaths were related to speed.

Last Chance to Have Your Say

There is currently a consultation open on a new Essex Safer Speeds Strategy, and today is the final day to respond.

👉 https://consultations.essex.gov.uk/essex-highways/essex-safer-speeds-strategy

If road safety matters to you, it’s worth taking a few minutes to have your say.

The strategy is aiming to reduce deaths and serious injuries, including looking at how speed limits are set and used across different types of roads.

The Reality of Speeding

Speeding is one of those issues where everyone has a view.

And there are definitely things we can do locally:

• better road design
• clearer layouts
• targeted speed limits

But we also need to be honest about something:

👉 speed limits on their own don’t work without enforcement

The people who drive responsibly will follow them anyway.

The people who don’t… won’t.

So if we’re serious about improving safety, this has to be a joined up approach:

• sensible speed management
• better road design
• and appropriate enforcement

My Experience Working on This

This isn’t something I’ve just started talking about during an election.

I’ve already been working on speeding issues locally.

I set up and ran the Community Speedwatch group, working with local police to monitor and address speeding concerns.

While on the Town Council, I also pushed for us to invest in Telraam traffic monitoring technology.

We used it to run local experiments, comparing real-world data against traditional speed and volume surveys.

The aim was simple:

👉 get better, more continuous data to understand what’s actually happening on our roads

That kind of data should be incredibly valuable for decision making.

At the time, Essex County Council weren’t prepared to use it.

But that’s exactly the kind of thing I would push again as a County Councillor.

A More Practical Approach

If elected, one of the ideas I would explore is working with Parish Councils to roll out tools like Telraam more widely.

So each area can:

• understand its own traffic patterns
• identify problem areas
• and build evidence for change

Alongside that, I would push for:

• proper expert assessment of known problem areas
• targeted safety improvements
• and a more consistent, evidence-based approach to speed management

Enforcement Matters

One of the biggest gaps in the current system is enforcement.

And while the police don’t report into the County Council, that doesn’t mean nothing can be done.

A proactive County Councillor should be:

• building relationships with local police
• sharing evidence and concerns
• and making the case for targeted enforcement where it’s needed

I’ve already had experience working with police through Speedwatch, and I know how important that relationship is.

A Balanced View

It’s also worth saying:

👉 this isn’t about being anti-driver

I’m not anti petrol head.

I own a sports motorbike and a classic sports car.

I enjoy driving.

But that doesn’t change the fact that roads need to be safe for everyone.

This Is What This Election Is About

Road safety is exactly the kind of issue this election should be focused on.

Not national politics.

👉 real, practical issues that affect people every day

If we get this right:

• people feel safer
• communities are more connected
• and lives can quite literally be saved

Final Thought

Speeding isn’t just a statistic.

It’s something people experience every day.

And it’s something that needs to be taken seriously.

With the right approach, better data, and proper follow through, we can make a real difference.