Airport shoe scanner will reduce delays

Asking passengers to take off their shoes as they go through airport security could be a thing of the past as the Government announces plans for new state-of-the-art scanners.

Eight screening projects are to be given £1.8million in funding by the Department for Transport over the next 12 months, with ministers confident that improvements in technology will lead to shortened waiting times.

They include London-based Scanna Msc, which is designing a step-on scanner that would check for shoe bombs, and Welsh firm Sequestim, which is creating a walk-through screening system featuring a highly sensitive camera that should reduce the risk of false alarms and enable passengers to keep their coats on.

Baroness Sugg, the aviation minister, said: “This latest £1.8million of funding in innovative projects will ensure we capitalise on pioneering research. The aim is to have a safer and smoother travel experience for air passengers.”