Northumberland school buses fitted with CCTV

Story link: Northumberland school buses fitted with CCTV by Jan Harris

Northumberland County Council has decided to install CCTV cameras in school buses in the county, in order to deter bad behaviour among pupils.

The cameras will be part of a pilot scheme designed to improve safety on the buses.

It is hoped that the £70,000 project will have a strong deterrent effect by making it clear to pupils that their actions are being recorded.

According to Mr Richard Waters, head of transport for the council, only a small minority of students behave badly.

Footage from the cameras can be downloaded for review, and the Council has assured that legal protocols will be followed and the material will only be handled by nominated senior officers with authorised operators.

The downloaded images can be transferred to CD for use by nominated individuals in schools or by police and child protection officials.