Installers SRT Security Systems and Advanced Vision Systems installed a network of street surveillance systems in Somerset which has already resulted in known troublemakers staying well away

Rolling hills and ancient flood plains to the south of Bath and Bristol are some of the most beautiful and peaceful parts of Britain – and the local authority in the Mendip area is determined to keep it that way.

Mendip District Council looked at installing CCTV in five town centres, and SRT Security Systems, based in Street, was chosen to do most of the work including fitting out the control room in Wells. For the camera system in Wells – one of the smallest cities in the UK – installation was carried out by Newbury-based Advanced Vision Systems.

Jenny Davies, Community Safety Officer at Mendip District Council, said crime was not high in the areas but it was important to keep the town centres safe and and a pleasant environment in which to live, work and shop.

"Cameras help people feel safe, especially in the evenings, and that is good for trade. The area also has to manage the influx of visitors every summer, in particular at the time of the Glastonbury festival."

Easier to upgrade

After examining all the technical options, the council selected Bewator equipment because the company's modular approach made it easier to upgrade to a more advanced matrix at a later date, Davies said.

The cameras, mostly housed within Bewator Surcha domes, are located at Wells (12), Shepton Mallet (10), Glastonbury (6) and Frome (6). A further ten in nearby Street are in the process of being upgraded but operate independently of the Wells Control Centre.

The domes are connected via fibre optic and/or copper cabling and a Bewator V3i matrix to three keyboards in the control centre in Wells. The views are shown on a total of 13 monitors and the centre also has a further monitor dedicated to reviewing images.

The police have been delighted with the quality of images ... and we’ve noticed that known troublemakers are staying away from the surveillance areas

Cash points in view

From here, each of the 34 cameras can be positioned to concentrate on suspicious activity. Each camera position can also be programmed to automatically view certain areas of particular interest such as cash points or shop entrances.

SRT's Managing Director, Steve Taylor, said they chose Bewator because the equipment had proven to be reliable on previous installations. Roger Drummond, Partner at Advanced Vision Systems said they already had Bewator domes successfully installed in systems in Yeovil and Bridgwater.

A year on from the initial installation and Mendip District Council is certain that CCTV was the right way to go: "Everyone living and working in the five centres recognises that CCTV has a big part to play in keeping our streets safe for everyone to use, and we've been delighted with the technical aspects of the installation," said Davies.

"The police have been delighted with the quality of images captured, and this will help them secure convictions, and we have also noticed that known troublemakers are now keeping well away from the areas under surveillance.

"The equipment is working well and it's also good to know that their systems, being modular, can be readily expanded or upgraded to meet any future requirements we may have.

On the strength of the results to date, the council is now planning the next phase of CCTV installations in their area.

Source

Security Installer