CCTV for Queensland’s regional urban buses

Transport Minister John Mickel has announced that a State Government program fitting CCTV cameras to 90 regional buses will be finished this week.

Minister Mickel said the government had funding closed circuit television (CCTV) systems on 90 buses in regional Queensland at a cost of $716,000.

“In Cairns alone the Government is installing CCTV systems on 24 Marlin Coast Sunbus vehicles and providing associated software and equipment for downloads,” said the Minister.

The installation program began on buses that provide scheduled urban services in 13 regional centres at the beginning of October.

Services in Cairns, Ingham, Magnetic Island, Townsville, Bowen, Whitsundays, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Maryborough, Glasshouse Mountains, Toowoomba and Warwick were upgraded in the programme.

“The last of the cameras will have been fitted by Friday this week making public transport in these regional areas safer and more attractive to use,” said the Minister.

“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 technology provided in Cairns and the other centres enables high speed wireless downloads of the CCTV system from each bus as it enters the depot.

“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.”

Minister Mickel said warning notices as passengers enter the bus and in a prominent place inside the vehicle warn passengers that CCTV is in use and that image and audio downloads are managed by the bus operators.

“The 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 have been be fitted in the 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.

"There is a standard CCTV system for smaller vehicles and advanced WiFi and 3G systems designed for use in larger vehicles.

"Marlin Coast Sunbus in Cairns is one of the centres where buses are fitted with the advanced system.

"The program doesn’t include 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 WiFi and 3G enhanced systems will also be available in Townsville Sunbus, Capricorn Sunbus in Rockhampton and Garden City Sunbus in Toowoomba.

Mr Mickel said most buses manufactured in the past five years have CCTV systems fitted as standard equipment, and there are 58 of those already in service on regional urban routes.

“These cameras will ensure that people who behave that way, are highly likely to end up explaining themselves to a magistrate,” he said.

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

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