Cowley Road CCTV decision imminent

10:28am Friday 18th April 2008

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A final decision on plans to install CCTV in Oxford's Cowley Road is due to be made next week after the funding was officially secured.

The latest proposals include three cameras - at Southfield Road, Manzil Gardens and Princes Street - at a cost of £48,000.

The plans have already been backed in principle by a working party made up of city councillors, police and student representatives.

Nuala Young, chairman of the East Area Parliament, said the working party decided to drop plans to install a camera on The Plain roundabout because there was already an existing one there.

The cameras will use wireless technology and signals will be transmitted to Foresters Tower in Wood Farm where they will access an existing connection to a monitoring suite at St Aldate's Police Station.

They will be installed on existing lampposts along Cowley Road and the cost will be split between Oxford's Community Safety Partnership and Thames Valley Police.

Jo Soden, manager of Premier Lettings, said her firm had been campaigning for CCTV cameras in Cowley Road for years.

She said: "Hurrah - at last, it is about time too.

"It has been going on far too long. Let's just get on with it. I think it will make a lot of difference by way of at least a deterrent. I am absolutely certain it will have an effect."

Oxford City Council's East Area Parliament is due to make a final decision at a meeting on Wednesday.