It"s the creation of...

It"s the creation of Dutch company Gatsometer, maker of the original Gatso camera. The system mirrors the Specs units seen on UK roads, using number plate recognition to work out a vehicle"s speed between two points.

However, the new invention has two major advantages over Specs. Firstly, it can spot speeders even if they change lanes, and secondly, the gantry-based cameras are rear-facing, so they can detect motorcycles. That means bosses are making a bold claim for their invention - a 100 per cent detection rate.

A spokesman for Serco, the UK importer of Gatsometer, said the new device is set to undergo testing for Home Office approval, and could arrive by 2006. "The camera would be ideal for enforcing limits on the new widened sections of the M25, as well as on large multi-lane roads, such as the A406 North Circular in London," he claimed.

The system works by taking a digital picture of a vehicle as it enters the timed zone. The number plate is read and stored on a computer, which then starts a timer running. Further along the stretch of road is a second bank of cameras, which reads the registration on exit.

If a vehicle is picked up by the second cameras within the preset time for the distance, both images are stored, the exact speed is calculated and a penalty charge issued. As with current Gatsos, it is believed there will be a margin of error above the speed limit.

Meanwhile, Gatsometer is also said to be developing a spy camera to enforce one-way systems. It can spot if a vehicle is travelling in the wrong direction and again uses plate reading technology to automatically issue a ticket.