Central Swindon CCTV Update

Central Swindon North Parish Council set to install CCTV at Western Flyer underpass.

19:00 22 November 2019

A CCTV camera is set to be installed at Western Flyer underpass a month after a cyclist was stabbed in the buttocks and legs by a group of masked youths. 

 

 

 

The police have since arrested six teenagers aged between 16 and 18 but has been released under investigation. 

 

 

 

Adrian Bray of Swindon CID said: “Prevention is better than cure. The local authority may need to look at putting more CCTV cameras down here, covering the whole of the Western Flyer.”

 

 

 

Dale Heenan, cabinet member for the town centre, said: “The best method of prevention is not watching CCTV, but for everyone to visibly see police patrolling to prevent knife crime.”

 

 

 

Parish clerk Andy Reeves said: “Parish councillors are committed to ensuring the busy pedestrian and cycle route along the Western Flyer, used by hundreds of people every week, is as safe and accessible as possible.

 

 

 

“Whilst our budget and remit is limited, we have been working on identifying potential funds from our developer contributions, novated over to us from Swindon Borough Council in 2017.

 

 

 

“Pending approval, councillors are looking to install two sets of CCTV either side of the underpass to tie in with the existing infrastructure.

 

 

 

“The parish council would then work with the police and Swindon Borough Council for images to be linked to the borough council monitoring station.

 

 

 

“This suggestion came to the table after councillors were encouraged by the positive impact on anti-social behaviour that our installation of CCTV has had outside the Chapel Street toilets.”