Helicopters monitor traffic in NW China city

Helicopters have been enlisted in the northwestern Chinese city of Lanzhou to monitor rush hour traffic three days a week.

Police are hoping the helicopters will help them spot traffic violations and gather evidence. Police choppers will be on duty every Monday morning, Wednesday afternoon and Friday evening, for two hours, equipped with high-definition cameras and real-time image transfer systems to send images captured from 150 meters back to traffic police HQ.

The helicopters are fast and agile in tracking down traffic accident suspects and can also handle emergencies and large public gatherings.

Traffic jams are a daily occurrence in China's cities, where narrow roads cannot cope with the explosive growth of private vehicle ownership. Though surveillance cameras are installed on many roads, motorists find ways to avoid capture when they break rules. Endi