Speeding motorists, uninsured drivers and parking fine evaders were among those targeted by police in a special traffic operation.

Thames Safer Neighbourhood Team, working with JBW Enforcement agency, used Automatic Number Plate Recognition to carry out the sting.

They began on Choats Road, Barking, which sees a lot of speeding traffic escaping jams on the A13 in the early morning, before moving on to Bastable Avenue to scan for uninsured drivers and those with outstanding motoring offences or fines.

The operation successfully seized two vehicles for not having the correct insurance, reported three vehicles for traffic offences and collected more than �2,700 in parking fines for Barking and Dagenham Council.

PC Richard Wood said: “People that do not pay their insurance are one of the reasons why premiums continue to rise especially if someone has a crash with or because of an uninsured driver.”

He added that following the success of last Wednesday’s (October 17) sting, “more operations will be run to ensure that our roads are safe to drive on”.