Police officers from different units joined together to cycle through south Essex towns and villages in remembrance of the 41 people who were killed on Essex Roads last year.
PC Ben Houghton-Clarke, south roads policing unit, organised the RoadPeace 2024 event and was joined by colleagues from his team as well as the serious collision investigation unit and officers from the learning and development team on Thursday.
This year RoadPeace participants collectively cycled a distance of 1,766 miles, representing the number of road deaths across the country in 2023.
PC Houghton-Clarke and his colleagues’ ride contributed 287 miles toward that figure, achieved in just under 48 hours of the event commencing.
The ride started in Rayleigh and travelled through Hullbridge, Battlesbridge, Rettendon, Hanningfield and Chelmsford, where they then rode through Great Baddow, Hanningfield, Ramsden Heath and Wickford before heading back to Rayleigh.
PC Houghton-Clarke said: “It was an honour to take part in such an important event with my colleagues and friends. We wanted to raise awareness of those who died in collisions last year and show our support to charities that help their families in the period after their death, especially RoadPeace.
“I’d encourage all drivers and riders to play their part in road safety, taking measures that will keep them, their passengers and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians safe.
“Each mile that was cycled represented a person who died as a result of a collision in Essex last year, 41 miles for 41 people.”
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