Rodwell Trail Weymouth CCTV cameras stay switched off

The lack of CCTV coverage has been branded 'ridiculous' by a town councillor and 'unbelievable' by a woman runner.

The cameras were hailed more than a year ago as an initiative to make women and girls feel safer while walking or running on the footpath after Dorset Council secured almost £250,000 of government funding.

A 43-year-old Weymouth woman jogging on the running route, who did not wish to be named, said she won't feel safe until the cameras are in place.

"It's unbelievable that it's taking this long to get the cameras working. 

"There's no way I would run on the trail at the moment if it's not the middle of the day when it's normally busy.

"I just wouldn't feel safe knowing the cameras aren't there." 

CCTV cameras along the Rodwell Trail in Weymouth are no closer to being turned on amid problems securing a power supply.

The lack of CCTV coverage has been branded 'ridiculous' by a town councillor.

The cameras were hailed more than a year ago as an initiative to make women and girls feel safer while walking or running on the footpath after Dorset Council secured almost £250,000 of government funding.

A spokesperson for Dorset Council says the authority is now seeking 'urgent advice' to complete 'this important element of the Safer Streets project'.

Weymouth town councillor Alex Fuhrmann of the Westham East Ward, which includes the Rodwell Trail, branded the unfinished project as ‘unsurprising’ and ‘ridiculous,’ suggesting that the council ‘needs to get on with it and stop making excuses.’

Cllr Alex Fuhrmann next to the CCTV post (Image: Hollie Carr)

He said: “It undermines the need for public safety. We pay our council tax to Dorset Council, not to this private security firm. If they are the ones taking our money, then they should make sure that this service is provided.

“The Rodwell Trail doesn’t feel safe for lots of people in our community, particularly at night.”

Three poles were erected on the walking and cycle trail at particular hotspots - next to the old WW2 gun emplacement above the Marsh, near the tunnel beneath Wyke Road and next to Buxton Road bridge.

However, the important works to connect CCTV cameras to a power supply were supposed to take place in February, but the cameras still remain out of operation.

A spokesperson for Dorset Council said: "Regrettably, the CCTV cameras on the Rodwell Trail are still not operational due to a lack of power supply.

"Last February Dorset Council commissioned the services of Enerveo to provide a power supply to the new CCTV installations across Weymouth as part of the Safer Streets project funding.

“Enerveo installed the majority of the power supplies for cameras in other locations, but despite their assurances they recently told us they in fact cannot provide a power supply for CCTV on the Rodwell Trail.

"We have given Enerveo every opportunity to fulfil their contractual obligations, so we’re disappointed with this outcome.

“We’d like to reassure people in Weymouth that we are now seeking urgent advice from SSEN on the quickest, most cost-effective way to complete this important element of the Safer Streets project.”

Location of CCTV cameras on Rodwell Trail which don't work (Image: Martin Lea)A spokesperson for contracting firm Enerveo said that 'due to complications', the works remain incomplete.

“Enerveo was commissioned to work with a security company on the Rodwell Trail project, who are contracted to Dorset Council.

“Due to complications with two of the units installed by the security company, we were unable to provide a power supply under current ICP regulations as the units were installed in excess of 80 metres from the nearest viable power supply point.

“We have attempted every possible method of supplying the units and have advised the security company that this will need to be completed by the Distribution Network Operator (DNO).

“Enerveo has completed in full all possible works and the team have been in regular communication with the council’s security contractor since April of this year to reiterate our recommended solution.”

One of the CCTV posts (Image: Hollie Carr)

A Dorset Council spokesperson said  ‘the security contractor is BT but they in turn sub-contract the work out.’

A spokesperson for BT confirmed that ‘BT is not responsible for any power provision for the CCTV locations in question.’

Another CCTV post (Image: Hollie Carr)

The Safer Streets funding has been spent on other projects including 'stalking support', the continuation of the Safe Space in Weymouth town centre.

A spokesperson from SSEN Distribution said: “As the local electricity distribution infrastructure operator, we’re happy to offer Dorset Council information and advice on connections to our network.”