Ministerial Statement: CCTV security to be installed on more of Townsvilles ...

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Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
30/01/2009

CCTV security to be installed on more of Townsvilles urban buses

Townsville commuters are better protected on the citys buses with more of the fleet now fitted with Closed Circuit Television (CCTV).

Transport Minister John Mickel said today the government was providing $56,615 in funding for CCTV systems on 10 buses to complement the existing 26 in the citys urban bus fleet.

The message for hoons and vandals who want to cause trouble and break the law on Townsvilles buses is smile for the camera, because you will be caught, he said.

The Government is installing CCTV systems on eligible urban buses operated by Townsville Sunbus, Hermit Park Bus Service and Magnetic Island Bus Services.

Under this initiative eligible buses are those predominantly delivering urban services, and which are up to 12 years old and not a school or long distance bus.

So far we have funded cameras on 17 of those buses. With the nine vehicles that already had CCTV installed by the operators, it means that as of March 2009, 36 of the 93 urban buses on Townsville roads or 40 per cent of the fleet will have CCTV on board.

Those vehicles can be targeted to routes where trouble-makers are most likely to be, to provide extra security for passengers and drivers, Mr Mickel said.

Its about providing safe and secure services for the increasing numbers of passengers using Townsvilles bus services, and for the drivers.

People are entitled to travel without being confronted by louts or having to put up with the work of small minded vandals such as abuse, graffiti, scratched windows and slashed seats.

The CCTV system employed in Townsville provides the most advanced technology allowing, in the event of a complaint, rapid access to images by police and bus operators.

The cameras will make it easier to identify vandals and to bring charges against people misbehaving on buses. It means a safer, more secure bus service for drivers and passengers, he said.

There will be warning notices as passengers enter the bus and in a prominent place inside the vehicle to warn passengers that CCTV is in use and that image and audio downloads are managed by the bus operators.

Mr Mickel said under the initiative the CCTV systems were being installed on buses that provided scheduled urban services in 12 Queensland regional centres at a total cost of almost $200,000. This was in addition to the $720,000 spent on installation of CCTV in 91 urban buses in late 2008.

Cameras cover the bus entry and driver, forward interior, exit and rear interior. There are four cameras on buses up to a 30-seat capacity, while five cameras are fitted in larger buses, Mr Mickel said.

Each bus is fitted with a forward facing camera and an on-board recorder, and the CCTV system is supported by secure technology.

The program doesnt include buses older than 12 years, school buses or long distance coaches, although operators of those buses are free to install their own systems and many already have, he said.

Mr Mickel said most buses manufactured in the past five years had CCTV systems fitted as standard equipment, and there were 61 of those already in service on the States regional urban routes prior to this initiative.

These cameras will ensure that people who misbehave on buses are highly likely to end up explaining themselves to a magistrate.

"Law-abiding travellers have absolutely nothing to fear from the cameras because the use of images is very tightly controlled," Mr Mickel said.

The CCTV system complies with Queensland Transports Code of Practice for Operation of CCTV on Buses, which is available on the website www.transport.qld.gov.au.

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