CBC teams up with 802 Global to protect park-and-ride car parks for Maidstone Borough Council

09 March 2010

Maidstone Borough Council in Kent, which operates the park-and-ride facilities, has also successfully used the cameras to reduce the number of vehicles entering the town centre, improve the local environment and cut vehicle emissions. Drivers parking their cars naturally expect a reasonable level of security, but three of the sites had no specific CCTV system to protect them. Increasing the number of site attendants wasn’t a cost-effective option, compared with the more efficient alternative of camera monitoring by the Council’s specialist CCTV control room operators.

Following detailed sites surveys, CBC’s Ganz C-Allview PTZ domes were installed. These high-speed rugged PTZ cameras, which are sealed to IP67, are designed for installation in harsh and challenging environments. Their vandal-resistant features include bodies cast from aluminium, which are hard anodised and powder coated to protect them from scratching, oxidation or attack from solvents. Operationally, C-Allview offers resolution up to 520TVL and a useful maximum optical zoom of 36x.

Maidstone Borough Council is using the cameras to relay images back to its CCTV control room via 802 Global’s Orbis 1 re-deployable wireless transmission unit, mounted on existing lamp columns. Each camera is also fitted with public address speakers that allow the control room operators to challenge anti-social behaviour by sending out a verbal warning directly to any offender.

Commenting on the installation, Maidstone Borough Council’s Surveillance Controller Chris Stewart says: "This is the first time we have deployed cameras with audible input. Even though the cameras can speak, but not listen, the results have been fantastic. As well as acting as a deterrent against car crime and antisocial behaviour, we can now use the system to broadcast information for example about bus services and also remind customers to secure their vehicles.

"Our corporate objectives are to improve access across the borough through better roads, public transport and services and to work to create a safe environment through a commitment to reduce crime, and antisocial behaviour."

John Downie, National Sales & Marketing Manager for CBC (Europe) adds: "As the surveillance equipment provider for this system CBC is proud of the success it’s already achieved, working with our partners on this project. These results demonstrate the tangible benefits customers such as Maidstone Borough Council can obtain from this type of innovative, ‘added value’ system."