The notorious high-level bridge will be getting a video monitoring system installed, one of seven locations around Cambridge getting cameras as soon as November.
Waipā District Council is to install a $240,000 video monitoring system (VMS) to help keep the community safe. The decision at Tuesday’s Service Delivery Committee approved the installation of seven cameras at key intersections in Cambridge, with six to be set up in Te Awamutu.
The 13 cameras will be installed as early as November, and footage will be monitored at the Te Awamutu police station by police and a team of vetted volunteers. As well as crime prevention, the cameras will monitor traffic at major intersections. Because of this, the New Zealand Transport Agency will chip in $70,000, while the council pays $170,000 to install the extra eyes around town.
Waipā Mayor Jim Mylchreest said the cameras would be an asset to the community.
“My hope is that we see a real savings in graffiti and vandalism costs and our communities feel safer knowing that unacceptable behaviour is now being monitored.”
“The cameras will pan between busy pedestrian areas and roads, meaning the video coverage is not limited to one particular direction. One camera will be stationed on the Victoria Street Bridge in Cambridge to monitor traffic flow on this critical road,” explained council’s roading manager Bryan Hudson. Before the cameras are installed a policy will be developed to outline how long the images are kept for, who can request images and other details that are governed by the Privacy Act.
The seven Cambridge cameras will be installed in these locations:
Victoria St/Hamilton Rd intersection, Victoria St/Queen St intersection, Victoria St/Alpha St intersection, Victoria St/Duke St intersection, Victoria Bridge (high-level bridge), Pope Tce, and the Shakespeare St/Cook St roundabout.
