Council has increased CCTV in Bedford to make residents feel safe and there could be more on the way

Bedford Borough Council said it has increased CCTV to help residents to “feel safe in their communities” and it has the funding for even more.

Research from ironmongery supplier, IronmongeryDirect, found that the UK’s local authorities control 108,533 public CCTV cameras, an increase of nearly 13,000 since 2019.

It added that Bedford Borough Council controls 573 cameras compared to 363 in 2019, an increase of 58 per cent.

This doesn’t include any privately owned equipment, such as cameras operated by businesses, so the overall number in the borough will be even greater.

Dominick Sandford, IronmongeryDirect’s managing director, said: “The increases revealed in our research might raise privacy concerns.

“But generally CCTV benefits the safety and security of both the public and businesses, and the upwards trend is unlikely to stop anytime soon.”

A Bedford Borough Council spokesperson said: “An increase in CCTV cameras is down to natural expansion and improvements across the network.

“Some old cameras have been replaced, additional cameras added to sites like the museum, libraries, crematorium and across the town centre.

“Other cameras have also been added to some ‘hot spot’ areas to support the council and partners with investigations.

“The council has further Safer Streets Funding for 19 new cameras to be installed later this year and are looking to add additional cameras to some council owned depots/sites, but numbers are yet to be agreed.

“CCTV supports the safety and security of residents and businesses across Bedford Borough helping people to feel safe in their communities.”