CUTTING edge technology was put into action by traffic police in a crackdown on motorists in Swindon.

As part of a day-long operation yesterday, a team of police officers set up an auto- matic number plate reader system in a white van at the Coate Water roundabout. Officers then prepared to stop vehicles further along in Queens Drive.

PC Brian Moore, of the commercial vehicle unit based at Westlea Police HQ, explained: "We have been using this system for about seven months now. The system uses a pair of infrared scanners to read the number plates as they approach.

"That information is compared with a computer data base of number plates.

"If for whatever reason that number plate is highlighted, the system can let us know and we are able to stop the vehicle by the time it approaches us. The beauty of the system is that we can be more efficient in the way that we operate."

One of those stopped was 18-year-old New College student Carly Gallagher.

She said: "I don't really mind that much. I can see that it will help deter people from stealing cars and that sort of thing. I suppose it is in a good cause, but it has made me late for college."

Carly was spotted wearing her seatbelt across her lap instead of wearing it over her shoulder and was warned of the dangers of not wearing the belt properly.

PC Alan Kyne explained: "I could have given her a ticket, I felt that a warning was more appropriate. She said that wearing the belt over her shoulder was uncomfortable, but I told her that in a crash she could really be hurt if her head hit the steering wheel."

The latest measures follow hot on the heels of a speeding clampdown launched by police in Swindon on May 2.

As part of the operation, three police vans equipped with cameras have been tracking cars travelling along busy stretches of road around the town.

Since the launch of the operation, run by the Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership, just under 600 speeding drivers have been caught in Thamesdown Drive alone.

Of those, ten will be dealt with by the courts, either because the speeds were so excessive or because the drivers elected to go to court.

The rest will get three penalty points and be fined £60.