APPARATUS FOR RECORDING LICENSE PLATES OF VEHICLES

An apparatus (1) for recording license plates (2) of vehicles (3) travelling on a road (4) having several adjacent lanes (8 - 11) comprises a vehicle classification sensor (18) configured to detect a predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) of a vehicle (3) or group (G) of vehicles (3, 5); and at least one camera (12 - 15) mounted at an elevated point (P) beside one of the lanes (8 - 11) and having an angle of aperture (17) covering at least one of said lanes (8 - 11), each lane (8 - 11) being covered by at least one camera (12 - 15) ; wherein the vehicle classification sensor (18) is configured to, upon detecting the predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) on a lane (8 - 11), trigger the camera (12 - 15) that covers the lane (8 - 11) the predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) is detected on to record an image of a license plate (2) on the back (6) of the vehicle (3) or leading vehicle (3) of the group (G), respectively, for which the predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) is detected; and wherein the triggered camera (13 - 15) is the camera of a lane (8 - 11) either adjacent to or at least one lane apart from that lane (8 - 11) on which the predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) is detected.