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IOL News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- IOL News
Johannesburg Metro Police Embrace New Technology as Morero's Vision Takes Shape
Executive Mayor Dada Morero, who, upon taking office, committed to using technology to improve public safety and law enforcement efficiency across the city. Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers Johannesburg's efforts to modernise policing have taken a significant step forward with the rollout of advanced patrol vehicles and electronic equipment for Metro Police officers. This development reflects a promise made by Executive Mayor Dada Morero, who, upon taking office, committed to using technology to improve public safety and law enforcement efficiency across the city. At the time of his appointment, Mayor Morero outlined a vision of a smarter, more responsive Johannesburg, where crime prevention would be supported by digital tools. Now, that vision is being realised as the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) unveils a fleet of patrol vehicles equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems and electronic handheld devices. According to JMPD, over one thousand vehicles featuring this technology will soon be deployed across the city. These high-tech patrol cars will support officers in identifying stolen or unregistered vehicles on the roads in real time. The system scans licence plates instantly, allowing officers to act immediately when a match is found against a database of wanted or illegal vehicles. Officers on the ground have described the number plate recognition system as a breakthrough for urban policing. In a city where vehicle-related crimes, including hijackings and car theft, are a daily concern, the ability to detect suspicious vehicles without delay is seen as a major advantage.'This is a game-changer,' said one officer who has already begun using the technology. 'It gives us eyes on the road in ways we did not have before. Instead of relying only on tip-offs or physical checks, we now get instant alerts, and that helps us respond much faster.'In addition to vehicle recognition, officers have also been issued handheld devices that allow them to check a driver's information, outstanding fines, and vehicle status on the spot. This digital upgrade is expected to reduce delays during roadside checks and make interactions between law enforcement and the public more efficient. The technology rollout comes as Johannesburg continues to face complex safety challenges, ranging from traffic violations to organised crime. The Metro Police's increased reliance on smart tools is part of a broader campaign to improve accountability and effectiveness in service delivery. While introducing the new system, JMPD said the aim was not only to combat vehicle-related crimes but also to enhance visibility and rebuild trust with communities. By deploying data-driven solutions, the department hopes to reduce crime rates and create safer neighbourhoods. Mayor Morero has welcomed the development, describing it as a milestone in achieving his administration's goal of a technologically advanced city. 'We committed to modernising our policing strategy. This investment in technology is proof that we are moving in the right direction,' he said in a recent statement.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
No toll for motorcyclists, says Malaysian Highway Authority
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) has refuted viral claims that motorcyclists will be required to pay tolls starting this October. LLM said a social media post uploaded by the account " on Aug 9 contained inaccurate information that could cause public misunderstanding. The post, shared on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, also had the potential to harm the reputation of the government, the Works Ministry, LLM and the highway concessionaire involved. "For the record, PLUS Malaysia Berhad is currently testing an open toll system using Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology. "If successful, the system will be implemented in stages on highways operated by PLUS Malaysia Berhad. The main objective is to improve traffic flow, enhance user convenience and reduce congestion at toll plazas," it said in a statement today. Meanwhile, Bernama also reported that LLM stressed that there has been no change to the categories of vehicles subject to tolls, which excludes motorcycles. The agency also reminded the public not to believe or spread false and misleading information, and instead to refer to official statements issued by the authorities.
Daily Mirror
29-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Manchester Airport faces calls to make huge change to drop-off rules
On The Beach has written an open letter to Manchester Airport and APCOA calling for the 24 hour payment period for drop-off fees to be extended to 48 hours A travel company has urged Manchester Airport and parking firm APCOA to reconsider their new drop-off charges. Manchester-based online travel agent On The Beach has written an open letter to the airport and APCOA, calling on them to "reconsider the 24-hour payment deadline for drop-off fees" and suggesting they "give people 48 hours to pay". Manchester Airport responded by stating that the 24-hour payment period is a minimum timeframe and that drivers often have more than 24 hours to pay in most instances. Earlier this year, Manchester Airport introduced a new barrierless drop off system which utilises Automated Number Plate Recognition technology, allowing drivers to leave immediately without paying at the exit barrier. Instead, they are required to pay the charge by midnight the following day, either online or over the phone. At all three terminals, the drop off charge is £5 for five minutes, rising to £6.40 for up to 10 minutes. For those who stay up to 30 minutes, the maximum allowed time, a charge of £25 must be paid. If drivers fail to pay within the time limit, they will receive a parking charge of £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. Some passengers have been caught out by the barrierless system, including one couple from Widnes who claimed they "forgot to pay for parking" after their visit to Manchester Airport on July 5, reports the Manchester Evening News. Manchester Airport has defended its new system, claiming it provides a "quicker and smoother experience" for drivers. The airport also emphasised that the 24-hour deadline is the minimum time frame, meaning if a driver drops off a passenger at 1am, they have until midnight the following day to pay - up to 47 hours. They've also increased signage in the drop-off area. Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On The Beach, penned a 'humorous' open-letter saying: "At On the Beach, we're proud of our Manchester roots, and send tens of thousands of happy holidaymakers from Manchester Airport every year. But recently, there's been a bit of turbulence, and not the kind that requires a seatbelt sign." "We're writing on behalf of our customers (and their forgetful family and friends) to ask that you reconsider the 24-hour payment deadline for drop-off fees. Why? Because far too many of our customers' designated drop-off drivers are being stung with up to £100 in fines because of your super short payment period." She explained: "With the summer holidays upon us, this is about to get a whole lot worse. Millions of families will be heading to Manchester Airport over the coming weeks, many of them relying on friends, family or kind neighbours to do the drop-off. "These people aren't taking a holiday; they're doing a favour. A noble sacrifice. And they shouldn't be punished for forgetting to pay a fiver while trying to understand why they have holiday blues after spending 5 minutes driving through the airport. Being the one left behind is painful enough, the least we can do is make sure they're not also financially punished for forgetting to pay a parking fee within 24 hours. Especially when forgetting can result in a £100 fine. Ouch." Zoe concluded: "So, we're asking, kindly, firmly, and with a hint of British sarcasm, to double the time. Give people 48 hours to pay. That's all. Just a fairer window to remember to pay a parking fee before the financial sunburn sets in. Let's work together to take the sting out of going to the airport without actually getting to go on holiday. It's the least we can do for those left waving at drop off." In response to the letter, a Manchester Airport spokesman said: "Removing barriers in our drop-off and pick-up areas is allowing us to better manage traffic flow on our site and has made the process quicker and smoother for drivers. That helps them to avoid entering the higher price brackets as a result of longer stays. The system is similar to those in use on toll roads and bridges across the country and a number of other UK airports also operate a barrierless drop-off and pick-up system. "It is not accurate to say that drivers have 24 hours to pay drop-off and pick-up charges. They have until midnight the day after their visit to pay online or over the phone. That means for a large number of passengers using the airport at our busiest times, people have close to 48 hours in which to pay." "Passengers can also set up an AutoPay account so that their fee is deducted automatically, removing the need to remember to pay," they added. "These changes were made in conjunction with an extensive communications campaign that included installing prominent signage in drop-off and pick-up areas, as well as media and social media promotion. The overwhelming majority of passengers are paying by midnight the following day and as we implement these changes, we are closely monitoring passenger feedback." A On the Beach spokesperson told the Mirror: "Ok, so it's 24 hours minimum - but come on, it's pretty confusing. Drop off at 11pm? You get 25 hours. Drop off at 5pm? That's 31. No wonder our customers are getting caught out. We're just asking for one extra day to pay. Just one, so a 48 hour minimum. Not exactly outrageous, is it?"
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First Post
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- First Post
Delhi govt urges Centre to suspend fuel ban on old vehicles amid strong public backlash
The Delhi government on Thursday urged the Centre's air quality panel to immediately suspend the fuel ban on overage vehicles and said it will make 'all out efforts' to resolve issues related to restrictions on the movement of endoflife vehicles on city roads. read more The Delhi government on Thursday requested the Centre's air quality panel to immediately suspend the fuel ban on overage vehicles, assuring it would make 'all out efforts' to address concerns regarding restrictions on end-of-life vehicles operating on city roads. In a letter to Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) chairman Rajesh Verma, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the fuel ban was not practically feasible and posed technological hurdles to implementation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The request was made three days after the ban was enforced in the capital. No overage vehicle was impounded by traffic police or transport department officials on Thursday. Addressing a press conference, Sirsa said there was discontent among people due to the move, and the BJP government stood with them. #WATCH | Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa writes to the Commission for Air Quality Management to place on hold the direction which mandates the denial of fuel to End-of-Life (EOL) vehicles in Delhi He says, "We have informed them that the Automatic Number Plate… — ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2025 The minister also said the Delhi government was trying to find a solution to the problem caused by the ban on end-of-life vehicles that include 10-year-old and older diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that her government will make 'all-out efforts' for the resolution of problems related to the ban on end-of-life vehicles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A 2018 Supreme Court judgment banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. A 2014 National Green Tribunal order also prohibits the parking of vehicles aged over 15 years in public places. Gupta said some people are emotionally attached to vehicles if they are gifted by a person close to them. Such vehicles are just keepsakes, and often they are not driven much, she said at a Van Mahotsav programme organised by the Delhi government. About the fuel ban, Sirsa said the government was receiving complaints from people and, as such, has urged the CAQM to reconsider its direction. 'The daily lives and livelihoods of lakhs of citizens are dependent on these vehicles. The sudden denial of fuel supply has disrupted transportation, trade and personal mobility, causing significant inconvenience,' he said. 'We are trying to ensure the vehicles are not banned according to their age, but on the basis of pollution caused by them.' Citing various challenges and problems faced in implementing the ban on refuelling of overage vehicles since July 1, the minister said, 'We have told CAQM that we are not able to implement this.' In his letter to the CAQM chairperson, Sirsa also suggested that a fuel ban on overage vehicles should be implemented across the National Capital Region. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He said there are several critical operational and infrastructural challenges in implementing the fuel ban, and the move could even be potentially counterproductive. 'Because of technological inconsistencies of this extremely complex system and lack of integration with neighbouring states, there is public discontent and outcry. In the said circumstances, it is not feasible to implement this system to end-of-life vehicles identified through ANPR cameras installed at petrol pumps in Delhi,' said the minister. He said that automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at most of the fuel stations, but the system is facing problems like glitches, camera placement, sensor and speaker malfunction, which prevent the identification of the overage vehicles without high-security registration plates. The minister said the ban in Delhi will not serve its purpose as owners of overage vehicles may get fuel from NCR cities like Gurugram, Faridabad and Ghaziabad. The ANPR camera system is also not implemented in the neighbouring states, which will again be an issue when the fuel ban is implemented there. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sirsa, in his letter, listed several steps taken by the Delhi government to combat air pollution, including the implementation of a new pollution under control (PUC) certificate regime to ensure stricter compliance, particularly for out-of-state vehicles. The government is also trying to create a system that sends an SMS to the owners of overage vehicles two to three months ahead to plan a phase-out. 'We strongly urge the commission to put the implementation of its direction on hold with immediate effect till the ANPR system is seamlessly integrated across the entire national capital region,' he said. Sirsa also blamed the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi for enforcing the overage vehicle ban instead of challenging it before the court and the National Green Tribunal. The Opposition AAP said that public pressure forced the BJP government to withdraw the 'controversial' ban, calling it a 'victory of the people' and an example of the government's double standards on the court's orders. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a video message posted on X, Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj said, 'Congratulations to the people of Delhi. The draconian order to seize old vehicles had to be withdrawn by Delhi's BJP government.' With inputs from agencies
NDTV
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Delhi's Old Vehicle Fuel Ban Begins Today: Here's How Its Being Enforced
The ban on the supply of fuel to old vehicles kicked off in Delhi on Tuesday amid high security. The Delhi government has installed Automatic Number Plate reader cameras (ANPR) at nearly 350 petrol pumps across the national capital for detection of such vehicles. The transport department has chalked out a detailed deployment plan involving personnel from its organisation, Delhi Police, Traffic Police, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Also Read: Yamaha RayZR 125 Fi Hybrid Gets Benefits Of Up To Rs 10,000 Multiple teams of transport department, traffic police and local police have been deployed at different petrol pumps in South Delhi. The drive began from 6 am on Tuesday, enforcing the prohibition of fuel sale to petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years. At Chirag Delhi's Dhingra petrol pump, the Transport Enforcement and Delhi Traffic Police teams were seen stationed since early morning. "We are here from 6 am to ensure that no old vehicle is allowed to refuel. Petrol pumps have been directed to deny fuel to such vehicles," said Sub-Inspector Dharamveer of the Transport Enforcement team. He said that Artificial Intelligence-powered cameras and automated hooter systems have also been installed at the pump to identify old vehicles. "If any such vehicle arrives, the cameras detect it instantly and trigger a hooter to alert the staff," said Dharamveer, adding that in such cases, the vehicles are being impounded on the spot. Assistant Sub-Inspector Jagan Lal of Delhi Traffic Police said that they are verifying vehicle details using their central database. "The cameras will inform automatically, but our teams are also checking vehicles using our central database. The drive is being carried out jointly with local police and transport officials to ensure full compliance and to maintain law and order," said ASI Jagan Lal. Hriday Ram, a staff member at the Dhingra petrol pump, said, "We have been instructed not to fill fuel in any old vehicle. The moment such a vehicle is detected by the camera or by us, we alert the police or enforcement team immediately." The move is part of the Delhi government's effort to tackle air pollution. A 2018 Supreme Court judgment had banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. A 2014 National Green Tribunal order also prohibits the parking of vehicles aged over 15 years in public places. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
