YEOVIL NEWS: Councillors back CCTV scheme for crime-hit underpasses

COUNCILLORS have given their unanimous support to backing a project to install much-needed CCTV cameras overlooking two of Yeovil’s crime-ridden underpasses.

Yeovil town centre already has a CCTV network of 24 cameras working – but the two underpasses under the main hospital roundabout leading in and out of town by Higher Kingston and Reckleford are not and have become a “blind spot” for the crime-busting "spy-in-the-sky" scheme.

But that is now about to change after members of South Somerset District Council’s Area South committee yesterday (Wednesday, July 2, 2014) gave the go-ahead to install a further five cameras.

The council’s community safety co-ordinator, Steve Brewer, said in a report: “Over the years there have been many incidents taking place in the subways that are a blind spot for the existing cameras.

“The most recent notable incident was reported in February this year of an aggravated sexual assault.

“This being one of the most used walkways into and out of the town centre and given the serious nature of this incident and the on-going issues of anti-social behaviour and crime it has been identified that to help prevent further incidents and to make the subways feel safer for users that monitored CCTV would help.”

PHOTO - TOP: The entrance to the underpass looking towards Princes Street in Yeovil.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Five CCTV cameras, similar to this one, are to be installed at two of Yeovil's crime-hit underpasses. 

Councillors agreed that further development of the overall £30,000 project go-ahead and that the cameras should be installed once the funding has been gained.

A camera will go on each entrance either end of the two underpasses by the hospital roundabout and a further camera will go overlooking a grassy area situated between the two pedestrian tunnels which has also become a trouble spot for crime.

Mr Brewer said the cameras would be of HD quality and capable to grab 25 frames per second – as opposed to the existing cameras which are capable of just one frame per second.

Although councillors were full of support for the project they said that speed was of the essence to get the CCTV coverage in an area blighted by graffiti, theft, assault and robbery in recent times.

But Mr Brewer said it was unlikely that work installing the cameras would start before the autumn.

Keen CCTV supporter, Cllr Andrew Kendall, was thanked by his colleagues for the work he had already put into the underpass project.

And Cllr Tim Carroll added: “We support this – we have known about the problems with the underpass down the years.”

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