THE number of public closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in Gwynedd has increased by 363 per cent since 2019, new research has revealed.

There are now 468 cameras controlled by Gwynedd Council, compared to 101 three years ago – the biggest rise in the UK.

IronmongeryDirect issued Freedom of Information requests to local authorities and found that 69 per cent have increased their CCTV presence since 2019.

Across the UK, there are now 108,533 public cameras, representing an increase of 14 per cent (12,960 new devices).

This doesn’t include privately-owned equipment, such as cameras operated by businesses or members of the public.

A new system has also been installed which added multiple static cameras in locations where there used to be one pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) device.

Gwynedd Council is one of 16 local authorities that have more than doubled their CCTV in the last three years.

The biggest numerical increase was found in Liverpool, where there are now 741 more cameras than there were in 2019 (754 up to 1,495).

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A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “In 2018, Gwynedd Council put into action plans to upgrade its CCTV system in the county, and a fully upgraded state-of-the-art system went live in 2020.

“New cameras and a wireless system have replaced the old analogue system which had been in use for around two decades, with the old single ‘pan-tilt-zoom’ cameras being replaced with new multiple-static digital cameras per location.

"The installation of these new multiple-static cameras per existing location explains the increase in the number of council-operated CCTV cameras in the county.

“CCTV cameras are used in public spaces in Gwynedd to help keep our communities safe by helping to prevent and fight crime, to help prevent anti-social behaviour, to provide recorded evidence to North Wales Police, to promote economic well-being within communities and to give the public a sense of security."

Grant Fulton, CMC operations manager at Corps Monitoring, said: “As technology continues to advance, so too will the application of CCTV monitoring systems.

“Over the next few years, CCTV technology will improve our personal safety, the safety of our homes, businesses, assets, and far more.

“Currently, CCTV is mainly used for heatmaps and people counting but, in the future, CCTV-based facial recognition will be a significant part of our world, carrying major implications for personal device security and shopping.

“And as this technology increases, it drives down the cost of surveillance protection, making it more affordable and accessible than ever before.”

Dominick Sandford, managing director at IronmongeryDirect, added: “CCTV is an integral part of modern-day society, and cameras have grown more commonplace in recent years as technology and connectivity have improved.

“The increases revealed in our research might raise privacy concerns, but generally CCTV benefits the safety and security of both the public and businesses, and the upwards trend is unlikely to stop anytime soon.”

To read IronmongeryDirect’s report, including the CCTV figures for every UK local authority, visit: www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/blog/cctv-capitals-of-the-uk-2022.