Two New Spy Camera Schemes Adopt Contrasting Approaches

Bedford Borough Council is to introduce a controversial fund-raising scheme based around fleecing parents dropping-off and picking-up children from local schools.

A mobile ANPR [Automatic Number Plate Recognition] camera will snap the registration numbers of vehicles caught even just stopping [note, not parking] on double yellow lines or zig-zag road markings in the school vicinity.

Councillor Charles Roydon justifies the £100,000 cost of the exercise with the predictable quote, "There may be some people who think it is an infringement of civil liberties but law abiding drivers have nothing to worry about."

However, in common with similar initiatives nationwide, the seemingly responsible intentions are soured by the council's admission that the plan would be 'self-financing'. In other words, they do not, in fact, want to deter the offenders since this would cut off the revenue generated by fines.

Meanwhile, over at the Dartford River Crossing, the ANPR camera may be put to a less contentious and altogether more sensible use. Many people will be familiar with the appalling bottlenecks at toll booths, where armies of staff are employed to collect thousand of small payments.

Exactly how the scheme will be implemented remains to be seen, but it seems likely that it will follow the London Congestion Charge model, where ANPR cameras are used to monitor tolls paid either in advance or during a reasonable period after entering the restricted zone.

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