TfL and Met Police team up for bus shelter CCTV trial
It's hoped to help improve safety, especially for women and girls
A trial is launching to promote safety at bus stops in the Capital through the installation of CCTV.
The initiative, from Transport for London and the Met Police, will see cameras installed at bus shelters as part of TfL's wider efforts to make sure the network is safe.
Announced today, on White Ribbon Day, the 12-month trial is hoping to show passengers, particularly women and girls, they can travel on the network safely 24 hours a day.
Testing took place on five shelters in March, with a further 15 now fitted with CCTV cameras.
The areas with CCTV are:
- Brent
- Croydon
- Hackney
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Hillingdon
- Lambeth
- Newham
- Redbridge
- Tower Hamlets
- Waltham Forest
- Westminster
The Met will have access to the cameras in the aim to help prevent and investigate crimes, with footage retained for 31 days.
The areas selected by TfL and the Met include busy locations with high footfall, areas with high crime and those where women and girls have reported feeling unsafe.
Feedback will be gathered from customers as TfL continues to commit to prioritising safety on the network.
Other efforts to improve the transport network includes the introduction of mobile coverage across the Tube and Elizabeth line – including within tunnels – allowing people to stay connected while on the move. There's plans for this to be expanded to further lines in the coming months.
Audits into women's safety are also being reviewed.
Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe and be safe at all times when travelling around London and it is the Mayor’s top priority to ensure the transport network is a safe and low-crime environment. That’s why I welcome this trial of CCTV at bus shelters, which will improve safety for women and girls and ensure they can travel with confidence."
Met Commander, Ben Russell said: “The Met is determined to make London safer, working with our partners to ensure every woman and girl feels safe in the city they call home.
“This pilot will help protect women and girls, meaning they can enjoy safer spaces across the capital. It also aims to help us bring more dangerous predators to justice, with CCTV being used as a key tool as part of our investigations.”
Siwan Hayward, TfL’s Director of Security, Policing and Enforcement, said: “We know the presence of CCTV and other security measures improves confidence to travel and use public transport, which is why we are expanding our already extensive CCTV network. This is one of many measures we are putting in place, alongside our work with the Met and BTP, to improve the safety and security of people travelling on public transport.”