A 'SPY' CCTV car designed to catch motorists breaking traffic laws will only operate during daylight hours, it has been revealed.

Redbridge Council plans to use the vehicle to help it enforce a variety of parking and moving traffic regulations, under new legal powers it was given in July.

But documents from the authority show it only plans to use the car between 8am and 6.30pm from Monday to Saturday, whereas it will not be used at all on Sundays.

It has also emerged that the council plans to initially target specific areas of the borough in the first few months of the car's use.

Snaresbrook and Wanstead wards will be the focus of its glare for the week beginning October 5, while Bridge, Church End, Monkhams and Roding wards will be targeted the following week.

Wanstead will then be targeted again on the week beginning December 14, with the car sticking to Woodford the week beginning December 28.

The council says it hopes to start using the car "shortly" once it has completed the necessary paperwork and staff training.

Meanwhile, the council has already caught more than 1,900 motorists breaking traffic regulations using fixed CCTV cameras since July 1.

It comes after a campaign by traders against the introduction of CCTV in George Lane, partly for traffic enforcement.

Businesses have argued the cameras could drive away customers.