POLICE have been targeting bad drivers in Chelmsford following complaints from the public.

The action was taken in and around the busy Moulsham Street area of the town after feedback from the local Neighbourhood Action Panel (NAP) by residents about driving in the area.

A one day operation - based at Oaklands Park and the Moulsham Street campus of Chelmsford College - was held with officers from the local neighbourhood policing team working in partnership with Essex County Council's road safety officers and supported by police from the Chelmsford Road Policing Unit.

And the results showed that people are still flouting the law by driving without a seat belt and using mobile phones.

The figures from the Traffic Education Day have just been released and show that 43 drivers were stopped for driving without a seat belt and three were stopped whilst using a mobile phone.

A further two drivers were caught speeding.

All those offenders were offered the choice of being dealt with by the fixed penalty system or watching an educational training video.

This follows on from an operation set up to tackle anti-social behaviour in the Moulsham area over the Bank Holiday weekend at the beginning of the month.

Acting Police Sergeant Tim Neate of the Moulsham Neighbourhood Team said of the day: "This is just another demonstration that we continue to engage with the community and listen to their concerns.

"It also shows that we are committed to work in partnership with other agencies to resolve problems such as this with positive results."