Treadcam being trialed

This is an artical I have seem in the metro new paper in London.

'Treadcam' sensor snares drivers that have tyres below legal limit

Motorists fed up with speed cameras will have their moods lowered even further by a new police scanner that can tell whether a car tyre is below the legal limit.

Caught in a trap: The tyre device has lasers and could be used in Britain. The ‘treadcam’ is placed on a road and uses lasers to check the state of tyres on passing vehicles. Details of any tyres below the legal limit are sent to waiting police officers down the road, who then pull over the driver. The £43,000 device has been criticised by the RAC, which said it should not be a priority for police at a time when resources are tight.

The ProContour machine is made in Germany and members of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) visited the country to see it.

A car drives over a Procontour inforcement camera It is sunk into the surface of the road to scan tyres, with information about those below the limit sent electronically to officers. They then conduct a separate test.

Offending motorists could be hit with a points penalty or fine. Any decision to bring in the equipment would be made by individual police forces, ACPO said. Adrian Tink, RAC motoring strategist, questioned the police’s possible use of the machine. ‘Should this be a priority when resources are limited?,’ he said. ‘That £43,000 could fill a lot of potholes, and issues such as drink-driving or driving while using a mobile are more important.’ He added: ‘Anything that improves safety is welcome, but motorists are going to be left scratching their heads if they start getting fines or points for their tyres.’