Los Montesinos Council is to install two automatic red-light cameras on Avenida del Mar, the main road through the town centre. The equipment will be positioned near the junction with Calle Carlos Díez and will monitor traffic travelling in both directions at the same set of lights.

The system will read number plates, take photographs and may record video when it detects a vehicle crossing the stop line while the lights are red. Local Police officers will review the evidence before deciding whether to begin penalty proceedings. The records must show the number plate, date, time, location, traffic-light phase and the circumstances of the manoeuvre, with digital watermarks to protect the images from tampering.

The contract will initially run for two years and can be extended to a maximum of four. The supplier will receive up to €11.57 plus VAT for each evidence file that is communicated and could result in a penalty. The council says the scheme aims to reduce offences and average speeds at a high-risk point on a two-way road. A red-light offence carries a €200 fine and four penalty points under rules set out by Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic.