New CCTV centre keeping 'watchful eye' on Plymouth streets

Areas with CCTV coverage include key transport routes, car parks and pedestrian areas in the city centre

A new multi-agency CCTV control centre has been implemented in Plymouth, the city council has confirmed.

The council said the centre would operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with 356 cameras "keeping a watchful eye" on its streets.

Areas with CCTV coverage include key transport routes, car parks, district shopping centres and pedestrian areas in the city centre.

The new facility replaces "ageing" technology, Plymouth City Council said.

Teams working collaboratively within the new centre include the council, CCTV operators, urban traffic control officers and staff from South West Highways.

It also includes a "dedicated room" for the police to "monitor and review footage", with 57 screens displaying images of "at least three times as many locations as before".

Journey time monitoring will be developed to "help identify congestion hotspots" and will inform future traffic management strategies, the council said.

Councillor Mark Coker, cabinet member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said the previous CCTV control room was "not fit-for-purpose".

"This new facility brings key people together in a more suitable, more secure environment that meets the latest industry standards and supports closer partnership working.

"Investment in the latest computer software and systems means we are now much better equipped to monitor and respond quickly to what is happening on the street and on our roads, keep residents safe and keep traffic moving."

Funding for the new centre was secured from the Department for Transport's Transforming Cities Fund.