Cheshire police have acquired a £300,000 light aircraft with sophisticated camera equipment to crack down on motorists. The plane monitors traffic and zooms in on offending vehicles, which are then reported to local ground patrols.
Fitted with a thermal camera and numberplate-recognition technology, the aircraft can target drivers who speed, overtake dangerously, or use their mobile phones. It is part of an initiative by Cheshire County Council designed to prevent accidents on their most dangerous roads.
Orwellian new road signs saying 'Police Aircraft Traffic Enforcement' have been introduced, although it is not clear whether these planes will be used elsewhere in the country. The roads under watch at the moment are the A41, A534, A537 and the A54.