Cat's-eyes to monitor car speed fitted on M8

CAT’S-eyes that can read your speed have been fitted on one of Scotland’s busiest roads, it has emerged.

The so-called "intelligent road stud" has been installed on a section on the M8.

But the Scottish Executive has insisted the flashing sensors are aimed at improving road safety and will not be used to catch speeding motorists.

The studs are more easily visible than conventional cat’s-eyes and will be used to alert drivers to potential hazards, said a spokeswoman for the Executive.

She added: "This trial is aimed at improving safety by detecting slow and queuing traffic. Flashing studs in the road will warn approaching drivers about potential incidents."

The hi-tech cat’s-eyes are in action on a 1.8 mile stretch of the M8 at junction six, Newhouse, Lanarkshire.

The spokeswoman added: "There are no plans to use the studs as speed cameras. They have the capacity to measure a car’s speed, but details would be used to help slow down traffic thus improving road safety.

"The quality [of the information recorded] would not be accurate enough to be used as evidence that could prosecute individual drivers for speeding offences."