Mystery surrounds new cameras installed beside some of Lancashire's busiest roads

On Tuesday workmen in high-vis were seen by Lancashire Post reporter Catherine Musgrove attaching small grey cameras to poles beside the A59 in Hutton, and on Golden Way in Penwortham.

Although two locations have been identified, it is unknown whether others have also been installed along other routes in the area.

There is nothing on the cameras to identify them, and both Lancashire County Council and National Highways claim no knowledge of them.

No response

Lancashire County Council have suggested that they look like police Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. Lancashire Police have been asked three times over two days whether they are responsible for the cameras, but have failed to reply.

ANPR

ANPR technology, which reads and retains vehicle registration plates, is used by the Constabulary in both a fixed and mobile capacity throughout Lancashire. As a vehicle passes an ANPR camera, its registration number is read and instantly checked against database records of vehicles of interest. Police officers can intercept and stop a vehicle, check it for evidence and, where necessary, make arrests.

If they are police ANPR cameras, national guidelines state that an assessment must be conducted that demonstrates a clear need, taking account of the following factors:

• national security and counter terrorism;
• serious, organised and major crime;
• local crime;
• community confidence and reassurance, and crime prevention and reduction.

In assessing whether new cameras are to be deployed, a Data Protection Impact Assessment will be undertaken. Lancashire Constabulary has to consult with people and organisations with a reasonable interest in the proposal unless that would be contrary to the purpose of the development, namely to detect, deter and disrupt criminality.

On their website, it states: “Lancashire Constabulary is also committed to regularly review the location of ANPR cameras, in the context of the above criteria, to make sure that the continued deployment remains justified. All reviews will include consideration of the impacts on privacy.”