HEALTHWATCH ESSEX CARERS VOICES SURVEY

Healthwatch Essex have launched a survey for people who are providing care and support for family, friends or other individuals in their lives.
Essex County Council are gathering feedback from carers across the county to find out what is working well and not so well in order to influence improvements to the support provided for carers.
Breaks for unpaid carers (often called respite or short breaks) are planned periods of time away from daily caregiving responsibilities, designed to support the carer's health, wellbeing, and personal life. These can range from a few hours for shopping to longer holidays, allowing for rest and maintaining social connections.
A break can include respite/holiday, sitting services, day support, or short-notice help to attend appointments. The survey is divided into 2 parts; for those who have taken a break, and those who haven't and/or are unsure how to access them.

To access the survey: click here

ESSEX SAFER SPEEDS STRATEGY CONSULTATION

Closing date: 26th April 2026

Essex Safer Speeds Strategy
Speed is the biggest factor in serious road traffic collisions in Essex. In 2025, 60 people lost their lives on the county's roads, while many more suffered life-changing injuries. Nearly half of the deaths were related to excess speed. The new Essex Speeds Strategy has been developed in partnership with Essex County Council and safer Essex Roads partnership. This sets out a flexible and evidence-based approach. It will help introduce safer speeds across Essex, with recommended speed limits decided based on how different streets are used. 

Public consultation
Essex Highways want to hear the thoughts of people who live, visit or work in Essex on the draft Essex Safer Speeds Strategy. The feedback they receive through the public consultation will help refine and improve the strategy before it is finalised and adopted later this year.

For more information about the strategy and to take part in the consultation, please: click here
Printed copies of the survey, consultation summary document and full draft strategy will be available in main libraries. They can also be requested by email to: saferspeeds@essexhighways.org

If you have any questions about the strategy or consultation, please email: saferspeeds@essexhighways.org

20MPH SPEED LIMIT - 20s Plenty

Press release from the Chairman of Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) and Vice Chair of Road Safety Great Britain (RSGB)

The SERP (Safer Essex Roads Partnership) is seeking to explore whether there are communities which would like/are pushing for a 20mph speed limit. SERP want to understand the level of support across Essex for this approach. It will be really important that the community can show it has support from the majority of its residents/school/businesses etc.

This does not mean that anything will happen, or happen quickly. The SERP (which does not implement speed limits) is simply seeking to understand the level of community support for lower limits in residential areas/communities.

SERP would like to hear from communities, firstly as to whether you would be interested in showing support for the introduction of a 20mph speed limit within your community and, secondly, as to how much support for the proposal you can show has been generated within the community.

Please complete the form to show your interest: https://forms.office.com/e/M7FAXC7LAL