SOME 168 motorists committing offences were caught after a “ring of steel” was set up around Colchester.

Police set up checkpoints in Ipswich Road, Haven Road and the A12 as part of Operation Surround a Town.

They seized uninsured cars, fined drivers for flouting the law and searched trucks for stolen metal.

Insp Steve Brewer, who runs Stanway’s road policing team, said uninsured drivers were one of the biggest concerns.

Mr Brewer said: “They are a menace on the road. Uninsured chancers.

“The sort of person who drives without insurance is the sort of person who commits other offences.

“They have a total disregard for speed limits and it has been proven they are more likely to be involved in fatal collisions.”

Six uninsured cars were seized.

The offender has to pay a £350 fine and will get six penalty points. They also face charges of £20 a day until the car is recovered.

Dozens of drivers were guilty of other motoring offences and were given the chance of being shamed into obeying the rules by being told off by children or taking part in driver education seminars. The aim of the day, jointly organised with Essex County Council, was to educate some motorists and enforce the law on others to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on the roads.

Adam Pipe, casualty reduction manager for Essex Police, was delighted at catching law-breakers and educating others.

He said: “Road safety now revolves around re-education rather than penalties.”

Several schools took part in road safety initiatives across the town but most of the action took place at three checkpoints.

The first, at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, was for HGV stop checks from the A12.

Mr Pipe said: “Some drive for far too many hours which is a massive problem within the haulage industry.

“The worst road traffic collisions we get with multiple fatalities often involve falling asleep at the wheel.”

New powers mean drivers from Europe who have exceeded the limit have to pay on the spot fines or have the vehicle seized.

Cars were stopped and seized in Haven Road and Ipswich Road.

Sgt Danny Parsons, of the road policing team, said: “There are no excuses, only large fines.” Sgt Matt Belcher, who ran the Ipswich Road checkpoint, revealed those who flout traffic laws are often the same as people who would not think twice about committing other crime and said you never know what you are going to find.

Previous traffic operations have led to the discovery of £1.5million in drugs, trucks full of illegal booze and the capture of serious criminals.

Sgt Belcher said: “When you stop people for traffic offences you often find people wanted for more serious crimes.

“If people are willing to break one law they will break others.”

He said people stopped for apparently minor infringements such as not wearing seatbelts or using a mobile phone often have the attitude it does not matter, but they soon change their mind when flying through a windscreen of causing someone to fly through theirs.

He said: “Lots of road casualties are the result of people who do not care and take the risks. We hope by stopping people today, others will put their seatbelt on and phone down.”

Officers were also checking for stolen metal around the Hythe because people often attempt to sell their stolen wares to scrapyards in the area.