- Big Brother moves onto buses
- The Herald Sun
- 28/10/2008 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: The Rooster ( 264 articles in 2008 )
BIG Brother is watching Queensland regional commuters after the installation of 90 CCTV cameras into urban buses in a bid to protect the public from louts.
A spate of vandalism and unruly behaviour prompted the $716,000 closed circuit television (CCTV) project.
Queensland Transport Minister John Mickel said commuters were entitled to travel in comfort without fearing their safety.
"People are entitled to travel without being confronted by louts or having to put up with the work of small-minded vandals such as abuse, graffiti, scratched windows and slashed seats,'' Mr Mickel said.
"The technology provided in Cairns and the other centres enables high-speed wireless downloads of the CCTV system from each bus as it enters the depot.
"The cameras will make it easier to identify vandals and to bring charges against people misbehaving on buses. It means a safer, more secure bus service for drivers and passengers.''
Warning signs will alert passengers to the presence of the cameras, which cover the entry, driver, exit as well as the front and rear of buses.
The CCTV project did not extend to school buses or long distance coaches.
Mr Mickel said most buses manufactured in the past five years had CCTV systems fitted as standard equipment, and 58 of those were already in service on regional urban routes.
"These cameras will ensure that people who behave that way, are highly likely to end up explaining themselves to a magistrate,'' he said.
"Law-abiding travellers have absolutely nothing to fear from the cameras because the use of images is very tightly controlled.''
Cameras will be in all buses servicing; Cairns, Ingham, Magnetic Island, Townsville, Bowen, Whitsundays, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Maryborough, Glasshouse Mountains, Toowoomba and Warwick.
The project began at the beginning of October and is due for completion at the end of this week.
A spate of vandalism and unruly behaviour prompted the $716,000 closed circuit television (CCTV) project.
Queensland Transport Minister John Mickel said commuters were entitled to travel in comfort without fearing their safety.
"People are entitled to travel without being confronted by louts or having to put up with the work of small-minded vandals such as abuse, graffiti, scratched windows and slashed seats,'' Mr Mickel said.
"The technology provided in Cairns and the other centres enables high-speed wireless downloads of the CCTV system from each bus as it enters the depot.
"The cameras will make it easier to identify vandals and to bring charges against people misbehaving on buses. It means a safer, more secure bus service for drivers and passengers.''
Warning signs will alert passengers to the presence of the cameras, which cover the entry, driver, exit as well as the front and rear of buses.
The CCTV project did not extend to school buses or long distance coaches.
Mr Mickel said most buses manufactured in the past five years had CCTV systems fitted as standard equipment, and 58 of those were already in service on regional urban routes.
"These cameras will ensure that people who behave that way, are highly likely to end up explaining themselves to a magistrate,'' he said.
"Law-abiding travellers have absolutely nothing to fear from the cameras because the use of images is very tightly controlled.''
Cameras will be in all buses servicing; Cairns, Ingham, Magnetic Island, Townsville, Bowen, Whitsundays, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Maryborough, Glasshouse Mountains, Toowoomba and Warwick.
The project began at the beginning of October and is due for completion at the end of this week.
Source: https://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24563793-5005961,00.html
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