New cameras aimed to trap dodgy drivers

NEW DIGITAL cameras that check whether cars are speeding over a distance of up to a mile, and might in future catch road-tax cheats and spot stolen cars, will be introduced on motorways within months.

The cameras work in all weather, do not use radar or flash, and never run out of film - unlike the "grey box" Gatso speed cameras in use in many British cities, of which only one in ten contains film, reducing their deterrent effect.

The spacing between the new cameras - from 250 to 1,500 metres - means motorists who simply slow down on seeing a camera and then speed up when "out of range" will be caught. In early tests, 4,300 people were recorded speeding in a single day. The first site is expected to be on roadworks on the M2 in Kent between junctions 4 and 6. Such stretches have high accident rates because of contraflow systems and reduced lane widths.

The new system, called Speedcheck SVDD (Speed Violation Detection Deterrent) captures digital images of number plates and can deal with three vehicles per second. When the vehicle passes the second camera, a roadside computer calculates its average speed. If this is above a certain value, a notification is sent to the local police who can forward the details to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority.

The system uses infrared technology so that poor weather does not reduce its effectiveness. Radar detectors sold for car drivers will give no warning of the cameras' presence. The system could also be extended to catch road- tax cheats and stolen cars, because it is able to cross-refer with the Police National Computer in three seconds.

t The five million British motorists still using leaded petrol were urged yesterday not to panic about its withdrawal on 1 January. The Transport minister Lord Whitty said many cars running on leaded petrol will be able to use unleaded with little or no adjustment to the engine, while others that do needadjustment can be fixed in a few minutes in a garage.

For those engines that still require petrol with an additive, lead replacement petrol will be available on forecourts from the autumn, at no more than the cost of four-star; additives to mix with unleaded petrol will also be available.