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Concerns grow after 20% of Glasgow’s CCTV cameras are not operational

Concerns grow after 20% of Glasgow’s CCTV cameras are not operational

Concerns have been raised that almost 20% of Glasgow’s CCTV cameras are not operational, as weather conditions emerged as one of the main causes of breakdowns.

Glasgow has the largest network of public space, CCTV and traffic cameras in Scotland, with 542 cameras in total.

The system was last upgraded 12 years ago, and running the cameras 24/7 is taking its toll, while daily repairs must be prioritized.

Councilor Laura Doherty, the city’s lead for neighborhood services and assets, said 17 per cent of the city’s network was currently in need of repair – but warned the work required significant investment.

The issue was raised by Labor councilor Kevin Lalley at Thursday’s full council meeting.

Councilor Doherty explained: “The NRS and internal maintenance teams are working diligently to resolve and repair a wide range of current camera and network outages.

“The team provides significant in-house expertise and knowledge to support 24/7 operations management. Ensuring the management and maintenance of Glasgow’s CCTV network is a priority, providing essential support to reassure the public, manage traffic and ensure public safety in our city.

“The Glasgow CCTV estate, which was upgraded in 2013, is now almost 12 years old. Industry best practices generally recommend that camera networks undergo an update program after seven years.

“However, such upgrades require significant investments over several years. Operating 24/7 in all weather conditions, the estate is highly exposed to the external environment, leading to ongoing engineering challenges in its maintenance.

“NRS works with contractors to resolve issues and ensure camera defects are resolved as quickly as possible. Every effort is made to repair cameras daily, prioritizing the most needed locations through operational intelligence.

“However, the time it takes to repair or replace a camera depends on the nature of the defect.”

Condensation is one of the most common defects and its impact on camera operation can vary. Repairs for this type of failure can take up to four weeks per camera.

Pixilation is another common problem, and its resolution requires the contribution of resources and contractors. Identification, testing and resolution may take four to six weeks.

Councilor Doherty continued: “According to a recent review carried out in October, 90 cameras, or 17% of the network, were identified as faulty. Of these, 45 – or 8% – had significant defects requiring replacement, while the remaining 45 had minor issues such as condensation.

“Even these minor defects can take up a lot of time and resources. A network of this size and complexity will experience outages and outages: some are caused by camera-specific issues, while others are network or communications link-related.

“However, every effort is being made to ensure the cameras remain operational. These challenges are not unique to Glasgoww, but the scale of our network means we face far greater demands than other local authorities.

“The department is currently exploring capital funding opportunities to purchase additional cameras, which would help alleviate some of the challenges.”

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