Lollipop spy cameras set to catch bad drivers out

SPY cameras hidden inside the lollipops used by crossing guides have been unveiled as the latest weapon to catch out motorists in the Lothians.

The new "video pole" will be used in East Lothian for the first time today, with the local authority becoming the first in Scotland to invest in the 1050 piece of hi-tech kit.

The discreet cameras are automatically activated when the pole is in an upright position, snapping the registration plates of vehicles which fail to stop.

Crossing guide Robert Purves, 63, who is based on Station Road in Haddington, welcomed the new camera poles. He said that he had almost been struck by cars on four occasions over the last three years.

He said: "I have gone out into the middle of the road to see kids and families across, and four times before I've got back to the pavement, cars have just went right through me.

"What happens if there's an accident and I get hurt?

"Even when the kids are there, sometimes the cars just go through.

"I think the camera is going to be a good thing because if anybody does that again, they could get charged."

The grandfather of four, who helps primary and secondary pupils in Haddington to cross safely in Station Road, added: "People are in too much of a hurry.

"They haven't got the patience."

The video pole, which is also used in Glasgow, does not photograph drivers or pedestrians due to the angle it is at. It solely captures the number plates of offending vehicles.

Warning signs will be posted in areas where the cameras are being used, and following any incident, video footage will be examined.

If necessary, it will be passed to Lothian and Borders Police for further investigation.

Mr Purves said: "Without the camera, it is very hard to get a number plate because you have got to concentrate on the kids crossing the road.

"You have really got to keep your eye on the ball. Some drivers in the area are unreal."

A spokeswoman for East Lothian Council said: "With so many near misses, and the obvious threat to life and limb, East Lothian Council is one of the first councils to invest in this hi-tech solution to help catch the culprits.

"We felt it was worth the investment for the safety of children crossing the road and the crossing guides themselves."

The camera will initially be deployed on Station Road by Mr Purves, before moving to other locations in East Lothian.

The city council said it currently had no plans to introduce the device in the Capital, as did West Lothian and Midlothian Councils.