Glasgow is set to be boosted by new “super intelligent” CCTV cameras as part of a £24 million programme to make the city smarter and safer.
The city council claims the new public space CCTV cameras will replace outdated stock on its current network and be programmed to automatically detect suspicious activity, such as bags or packages left attended, and alert emergency services.
More than 400 new digital surveillance cameras are to be funded as part of the Future Cities Demonstrator prize, which the city won in a UK-wide competition by the Technology Strategy Board, the Government’s innovation agency, earlier in the year.
A state-of-the-art technology operations centre will be created in the East End of Glasgow, housing CCTV operations and the city’s specialist traffic controllers.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of the Demonstrator programme, described the winning of the funding a “major coup” for the city.
He said: “We’re putting the teams and infrastructure in place to realise the potential of a hugely ambitious and far reaching programme which will permeate all sectors of city life.
“This flagship programme may be in its infancy but, once complete, we hope it will provide a blueprint for other cities to follow.
“As a society we are generating more data than at any time in history, by harnessing that knowledge we can improve the lives of Glasgow residents, the environment and the economy.
“Glasgow is keen to embrace new technologies and create a forward thinking environment which will attract businesses from that sector, creating jobs with long term prospects.”
Recent figures obtained by The Scotsman through a Freedom of Information request found there are now 4,114 public-space CCTV cameras across Scotland, more than treble the figure for ten years ago.
