Police put a stop to a horse and cart race on the A414 in Essendon last month after calls from concerned residents.

Officers responded to a number of reports from the public at around 8am on Sunday, January 28, raising concerns that a race was about to start.

Officers attended the scene to ensure public safety and they brought the race to a halt, allowing traffic to continue at a moderate pace.

"I would like to thank the members of the public who called in to report this incident and I hope that residents feel reassured by our response," said Sergeant Alex Smedley, from the Welwyn Hatfield Neighbourhood Policing Team.

"We aimed to keep disruption to a minimum for the road users who were trying to go about their normal day.

"A number of people involved in the race will be reported for driving matters and this should be a warning to those who think it is acceptable to use public roads in this way."