Camera on Hibbert Lane

[wolfman]

Quote from the Chief constable of GMP in his blog "There have been more reports this week about the surveillance society and the use of CCTV cameras and information databases. I think it is a good thing that these issues are being debated and the public are fully aware of the information being held on them. There are very good reasons why such databases, CCTV and other forms of technology are vital to the fight against crime. The public need to be sure however that the use of this information is properly controlled and proportionate and this matter needs to be fully debated and approved by parliament. Technology is opening up possibilities both for committing and preventing crime. We cannot uninvent these opportunities but we do need to ensure that the public feel that the power of the state - including that used through the police - is properly overseen and open to judicial oversight." 

Peter Fahy
Chief Constable

[wolfman]

Surveillance powers designed to tackle terrorism have been used by local councils more than 10,000 times - for "crimes" as minor as littering.
Details disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act show that councils in England and Wales used powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) to investigate offences ranging from dog fouling to taxi overcharging.
The Liberal Democrats, who obtained the details, said it represented a fresh erosion of civil liberties and warned that Ripa was becoming a "snooper's charter".
The findings are based on a survey of 182 district and unitary councils in England and Wales which responded to a freedom of information request.
They showed that Ripa powers have been used on 10,288 occasions since 2004, but just 9% of those inquiries led to a successful prosecution, caution, or fixed penalty notice.
The alleged offences included littering, illegal street trading, and taking the fairy lights from a Christmas tree.
Lib Dem local government spokesman Julia Goldsworthy said that when Ripa originally became law, only nine organisations - including the police and security services - were allowed to use it. That has since been extended to 795 bodies.
"This Government sees civil liberties as little more than a temporary inconvenience. Slowly but surely, freedoms have been eroded," she said.
"We're now in a situation where dog fouling is considered enough to warrant surveillance by council officials.
"Unless Ripa is reformed, it risks becoming a snoopers' charter. Surveillance powers should only be used to investigate serious crimes and must require a magistrate's warrant."

from Press association author not stated

[wolfman]

From what I have been told the traffic survey results will be flawed as the cameras put people off parking where they usually do, obstructing peoples drives etc.

[Belly]

They might be owned by that company but they were installed by SMBC workmen. It therefore looks like they were hired, at what cost to the tax payer.?

How else would you propose to undertake a traffic count and survey of the area around Rose Hill school without having to use literally dozens of people? 

I can't see what the problem is. I'm sure the people who live near the school will be pleased that the Council is taking the problem of school traffic and parking seriously, particularly in the light of the expansion proposals. Isn't that what we pay our council tax for?

[wolfman]

They might be owned by that company but they were installed by SMBC workmen. It therefore looks like they were hired, at what cost to the tax payer.?

[Belly]

This goes to show how easy it is for the big brother attitude to prevail. There is only the word of a workman that these cameras are for a "Traffic survey" The council never told anybody what was going on, the cameras could be for anything. Supposing they put cameras on the lamposts in your street? They obviously don't have to tell you why.What are the other type of cameras for?

If you look on the side of the box that the camera's are linked to it clearly states that the Boden Lane units are owned by "Count on Us" a nationally recognised traffic survey company. I wouldn't get too worried or dig out the conspiracy theories yet. Its either a set of camera's or an army of OAP's with clipboards sat out in the poaring rain for days collecting the same information.

[wolfman]

Surveillance Britain: Q&A
How many CCTV cameras are there in Britain?

No one knows. A figure of 4.2million is often cited but this is a very rough estimate based on two streets in South London seven years ago. Police are starting counting exercises to come up with a more accurate total.

When did CCTV first appear?

In 1994 the Conservative Government allocated £38.5million for 585 CCTV schemes but until then there was only a scattering of cameras across the country. Labour continued to fund CCTV and between 1999 and 2003 made £170 million available.

Related Links
Police turn mapmakers to count spy cameras
Every step you take, we'll be watching you
Does it work?

There is a continuing debate about the effectiveness of CCTV. There is some evidence that is helpful in reducing shoplifting and car crime. Many claim, however, that better lighting is just as effective or argue that cameras displace crime. There has been very little conclusive research.

Do you need special permission to put up a camera?

No. There are almost no legal obstacles to installing CCTV. In general, planning permission is needed only for putting cameras in listed buildings and in conservation areas.

Do you have a right to see images of yourself caught on CCTV?

Yes. Under the Data Protection Act you have a right to request to see footage of yourself. The images must be provided within 40 days and at a charge of no more than £10. However, cameras attached to private residences are not covered by the Act even if they overlook a public street.

Do the police have an automatic right to see CCTV footage?

The police can request CCTV footage without a warrant. In most cases those asked to hand over footage do so but, if a request is refused, police can go to court to apply for a warrant.

Who else can see the images?

Police can give images to the media to help with identification but footage cannot be released for entertainment purposes. If third parties are visible in images released by the police, their identities must be hidden if the images were taken in a place where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy — for example, a doctor's surgery.

How long can the images be stored for?

The Information Commissioner recommends that images be kept for a month but there is no legal limit.

Does the owner have to give police footage from a camera even if it might incriminate him?

Police have the right to request footage, so destroying it after such a request could, theoretically, count as perverting the course of justice. However, as there is no legal obligation to keep footage, it would be difficult for them to prove that it had been deliberately destroyed.

Sources: Home Office; Justice Department; Information Commissioner

from Times online author not stated

[wolfman]

The 2 funny cameras on Hibbert Lane have been removed.

[nbt]

A camera at the junction of Constable Drive and Hogarth Road might be useful.  It might stop all the parents parking on the double yellow lines that have been put there to make it safer for their children to get to school.

But if they don't park there, the kids may have to walk and that would mean them running the risk of being run over by bad drivers



Oh......

[Deniseam]

A camera at the junction of Constable Drive and Hogarth Road might be useful.  It might stop all the parents parking on the double yellow lines that have been put there to make it safer for their children to get to school.

[the rover]

It seems that all of these cameras are 'looking' along routes that school children would use to get to school. This makes sense as the council (?) would need to survey these routes to access the impact that school runs (people walking as well as driving) have on the local roads.
There are many types of CCTV cameras available from specialist CCTV companies which have different functions on them i.e. pan, tilt, zoom, fixed lens etc. Having not looked at any of the cameras but knowing about CCTV surveying I would guess that these cameras will just be a fixed focal length lens that are able to record things in focus between certain distances. The CCTV cameras that are in Market Street, Stockport Road and at the CO-Op are pan,tilt & zoom cameras which are operated by Stockport Police.

[wolfman]

This goes to show how easy it is for the big brother attitude to prevail. There is only the word of a workman that these cameras are for a "Traffic survey" The council never told anybody what was going on, the cameras could be for anything. Supposing they put cameras on the lamposts in your street? They obviously don't have to tell you why.What are the other type of cameras for?

[Lisa Oldham]

the ones on bowden lane def seem to be directed so they are looking at the really crap school  parking that we have a problem wth round here.. not surprisingly it hasnt been that bad this week!!!
shame they werent put up last week cos they might have caught a glimpse of my mums burglar!!

[wolfman]

Ordinary CCTV cameras ( as opposed to the ones on Hibbert Lane) are sprouting out all over Marple.There is one on Stockport Rd looking down Elmfield Drive, 2 or 3 on Bowdon Lane near the school. I spoke to one of the guys installing these and he stated they were for a traffic survey(honest)  as we were "getting a new school or something" Asked about the other ones he denied any knowledge.He said they would be there for a week.

[Susan]

I have just noticed another camera, outside the garage on hibbert lane nea to the traffic lights for Stockport Road, this one is pointing up Hibbert Lane