Installation of CCTV in the Whiston Road, Hackney area
Request ID: FOI-4219-2324 Date published: 28 February 2024
You asked
Contractors Fannon Ltd have been installing CCTV along Whiston Road, Swimmers Lane and surroundings roads for the last six months. Hackney Council have confirmed it has nothing to do with them and suggested asking TfL. So, is TfL ultimately responsible for the installation of CCT on said roads? If so, does it relate to, or could it be used for road charging? Will the cameras have ANPR or Facial Recognition capabilities?
We answered
TfL Ref: EIR-4219-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 15th February 2024 asking for information about the installation of cameras in the Whiston Road area, Hackney.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“Contractors Fannon Ltd have been installing CCTV along Whiston Road, Swimmers Lane and surroundings roads for the last six months. Hackney Council have confirmed it has nothing to do with them and suggested asking TfL. So, is TfL ultimately responsible for the installation of CCT on said roads? If so, does it relate to, or could it be used for road charging? Will the cameras have ANPR or Facial Recognition capabilities?
I can confirm that we hold the information you require. However, I am afraid that the information is excepted from release in order to protect our ULEZ enforcement infrastructure from vandalism (noting that release of information under the EIR is considered to be to the world at large rather than the individual applicant). The information is therefore being withheld under Regulations R12(5)(a) – “international relations, defence, national security & public safety” (in this instance specifically public safety); regulation 12(5)(b) – “the course of justice, the ability of a person to receive a fair trial or the ability of the public authority to conduct and inquiry of a criminal or disciplinary nature” (in this instance specifically the course of justice); and regulation 12(5)(e) – “confidentially of commercial or industrial information where such confidentiality is provide by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.” The rationale for this is explained in more detail in a published response to a previous information request which is available on our website here:
Note that the exceptions apply to all of our camera infrastructure, not just those cameras used to enforce the ULEZ.
This approach has recently been agreed by the Information Commissioner in relation to a similar, previous request, as can be seen in the following Decision Notice - the same arguments apply in your case:
Finally, note that TfL’s on-street cameras have not used live facial recognition technology in the past nor do we use it at present, and there are no current plans to do so in future
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
