New cameras installed as part of £4.2million Metro CCTV revamp

The cameras – 740 in total – have gone in at all 60 stations on the system and offer picture quality which make it easier to pinpoint troublemakers and provide crystal clear footage to support investigations.

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, said the new technology would provide greater customer reassurance as lockdown eases and more people start travelling.

Director of Finance and Resources John Fenwick said: “Good quality CCTV is vital to reassure our customers, who are gradually starting to return in greater numbers now that lockdown is lifting.

“The cameras deliver a step change in quality in terms of the clarity of the images that they can record.

“CCTV plays a vital role in deterring crime on the Metro, and where incidents have occurred it has allowed us to download footage to assist the police in gathering evidence and supporting prosecutions.

“Overall crime on Metro remains low but we continue to work every day with the police to deal with low level anti-social behaviour.”

The project is the biggest upgrade to the Metro’s CCTV network for 20 years and comes into place ahead of the new train fleet which will also have advanced camera technology on board.

Each camera provides staff in the Metro Control Room with sharper, higher resolution images which are less grainy. The project includes 105 new pan, tilt and zoom cameras, which are capable of zooming in even closer when operators need to.

Sgt Tim Hand, of Northumbria Police, said: “We work closely with Nexus every single day to help ensure Metro remains a safe and enjoyable experience for passengers and staff.

“These new CCTV cameras can only help with that, giving us a clearer picture of the minority who do decide to commit crime and allowing us to swiftly deal with pockets of disorder.

“We would like to thank the overwhelming majority who continue to behave responsibly and considerately across the network.

“Anybody who sees people committing anti-social behaviour or any other criminality across the Metro network are asked to report it via 101 or by speaking to a Nexus employee.”

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