Essex motorists who make mistakes on the road could avoid prosecution - if they take a retraining course costing £140.

The driving scheme, run by Essex County Council in partnership with Essex Police, starts this weekend.

It will free bad drivers from having to go to court, avoiding penalty points on their licence. However, motorists do not have the automatic right to choose the course as an alternative to prosecution.

Places on the course will be offered at the discretion of the police at a cost of £140 to the drivers.

Those that decide not to take up the offer will be placed back in the legal system.

Offences for which police would consider a driver suitable for the course include "minor" violations such as careless driving.

A police spokesman said: "We see the scheme as a positive effort to rectify driving faults and improve road safety. It is part of an ongoing campaign to reduce death and injuries on the road."

Rebecca Rees, spokesman for the Automobile Association, said: "This scheme could change people's attitudes towards driving.

"One thousand people die every year from speeding accidents. This is one-third of all road accidents, yet most motorists do not think that speeding is a problem."

Senior Southend Conservative councillor Ann Holland commented: "It is a way forward for people who have picked up bad driving habits," she said.

Published Thursday November 29, 2001