More than 100 vehicles taken off rural roads in Essex in year
Essex Police say it’s part of ongoing efforts to improve safety and crack down on illegal or dangerous driving in the countryside.
Essex Police have seized and recovered more than one hundred vehicles from rural roads in the past year.
In the past year, they have seized or recovered 108 vehicles.
Police seized 56 vehicles under section 165 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 between 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025.
In just four days this week, they’ve seized a couple more uninsured vehicles – one in Stebbing on Sunday (14 September) and one in High Easter on Wednesday (17 September).
Another ten vehicles were seized because they were suspected of being used for hare coursing activities. Seizing vehicles helps to disrupt hare coursers, who visit the most isolated rural areas to carry out this illegal activity.
Another area the Rural Engagement Team focuses on is road safety – a topic that communities regularly raise as being of significant concern.
Since last October, Essex Police has conducted speed checks in 175 rural locations where particular issues have been identified.