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CCTV parking cameras blackout
WESTMINSTER Council’s £15million CCTV network has been shut down because of a legal ruling over image quality.
While bosses say their 100 parking enforcement cameras, which have been in use since 2006, can clearly read vehicles’ registration plates, the Department for Transport (DfT) says they are no longer fit for purpose because the image resolution is too low.
The blackout has been brought about because the quality required does not meet the new Traffic Management Act, which came into force on April 1.
The council branded the ruling “ludicrous”, saying it will be forced to deploy more parking attendants as a result.
Westminster is the only local authority in the UK to use digital cameras for parking enforcement and the resolution specified by the DfT does not take the new technology into consideration.
The Traffic Management Act 2004 states images need to be 720 x 576 pixels – but the digital cameras broadcast images which are 704 x 576 pixels.
Upgrading the network would cost £2.5m, says the council.
Cabinet member for environment and transport Councillor Danny Chalkley said: “The DfT’s position is ludicrous and stuck in the dark ages. This draconian view puts into jeopardy the £15m already spent on Westminster’s CCTV network and could result in millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money being needed to replace the current cameras, all because of a tiny difference in image resolution on the TV screen.
“We will now deploy more parking attendants within the city in an effort to minimise the impact.”
A DfT spokesman said: “To ensure local authorities have a fair and transparent way of detecting unlawful drivers, any recording device must meet minimum requirements and be certified as an ‘approved device’.” |
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