SPEEDING motorists could soon face a much higher chance of being caught on camera in York and North Yorkshire if new police plans are approved today.

Police chiefs want to invest in three new portable roadside video recorders to make snaring offenders faster, more efficient and safer for officers.

The videos will be attached to hand-held laser speed detectors which can be used on foot or from a vehicle and will also enable officers to issue fixed penalty notices by post without the need to stop vehicles.

Members of North Yorkshire Police Authority are being asked at a meeting in York today to release almost £10,000 to pay for the equipment.

Chief Constable Della Cannings said the cameras would minimise the number of court challenges against speeding convictions by providing better evidence.

She said: "The use of this equipment will be targeted at high risk routes at times when the worst offenders are predicted to be."

"Enhanced and improved enforcement of speed limits will impact directly on our commitment to reduce killed and seriously-injured casualties, particularly against vulnerable vehicle user groups, such as motorcycles."

North Yorkshire County Council will contribute £14,000 towards the purchase cost of the equipment and one video recorder will be deployed in each of the force areas, including York and Selby.

There are no fixed Gatso cameras in North Yorkshire but officers use a number of portable laser devices to enforce speed limits. Many police vehicles also have in-car systems which can record driver behaviour.

Government road bosses have told police forces to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured by 40 per cent and to reduce the number of child casualties by half.

Research shows that the average cost of a road accident in terms of emergency service provision is £57,760. Last year 28 motorcyclists alone were killed on the 6,000 miles of road in North Yorkshire.

Updated: 10:35 Monday, March 29, 2004