Big Brother watch on dodgy drivers

ILLEGAL drivers in Saddleworth and Lees had better beware . . . members of the district executive are watching you.

Councillors allocated £10,000 of funding towards the purchase of two mobile Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.

The devices — operated by Greater Manchester Police officers — will now be deployed on main roads around the district.

The cameras will record the registration numbers of vehicles using the area’s roads.

Not only will this provide up to the minute details of whether the car is legal to be on the road, but it will also potentially help officers trace which vehicle was in an area following reports of a crime taking place.

The new technology is particularly useful in the fight against cross-border crime.

It has been a long standing issue that a large number of crimes committed in Saddleworth and Lees are by criminals driving over the border from West Yorkshire.

Because the ANPR cameras will be on roads heading in and out of Yorkshire it will also allow closer working with West Yorkshire police.

Councillor Val Sedgwick, chair of Saddleworth and Lees District Executive, said: “We committed to fighting crime and anti-social behaviour in the district and also to work closely with Greater Manchester Police.

“Due to the huge size and largely rural makeup of the area some criminals think they can just drive into the area, carry out their crime and then head off home without being seen.

“These new cameras will allow officers to log the details of cars, including those of known offenders.”
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