Around 2300 cameras installed in London to do Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to enforce the Congestion Charge Zone and the Low Emission Zone are now in use for policing. The Met Police has been granted access to another 1300 of the Transport for London cameras.
This new use for TfL’s ANPR cameras into the Met’s network was brought in by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson and follows a public consultation. Signage to say where these ANPR cameras are in use for policing will be going up across the city.
Boris Johnson, pictured, said: “This collaboration on cameras is helping ensure our capital remains one the safest big cities in the world. Having access to TfL’s extensive network of number plate cameras will enable the Met to track down more criminals and help drive down crime in London.”
The Deputy Mayor for Policing, Stephen Greenhalgh, said: “These 1300 cameras strengthen the digital ring of steel around our capital city and enhance the Met’s crime prevention capability. They will make life harder for criminals and help keep Londoners safe. Access to this data means more criminals arrested, more seizures of uninsured vehicles and more cases solved – news that Londoners will welcome.”
And Detective Superintendent Neil Winterbourne from the Met Polices ANPR Bureau, said: “ANPR is an invaluable tool in the fight against crime and I am very pleased that this step has been taken. Officers from across the Met, whether they are part of local policing teams or a specialist unit, now use ANPR data in over 1,500 investigations each month. The information that ANPR provides helps officers prevent and detect crime and ultimately keep the people of London safer.”
