CCTV work underway at The Marsh playing fields in Weymouth

New cameras were being put up yesterday at the Marsh playing fields, including around the area of Weymouth Swimming Pool at the bottom of Knightsdale Road - a known hangout for groups in the evening. It is expected more cameras for the Marsh will follow.

Police are regularly called to the area to deal with anti-social behaviour and calls have been made for a number of years to introduce measures to deal with problems.

It is understood to be a Dorset Council project with money from the Government’s Safer Streets Fund which is to be spent on schemes with a particular emphasis on the safety of women and girls.

It follows a camera put up at the skatepark nearby, and moves to introduce a system along the Rodwell Trail. 

The funding, of around £380,000, was going towards new cameras in this area and in Weymouth town centre as well as to finance two CCTV monitoring officers and to help expand the Dorset CCTV Control Room.

The introduction of the cameras follows a vicious attack on a teenager at the Marsh earlier this week which prompted more calls for more CCTV. 

READ MORE: Calls for more CCTV in Weymouth after vicious assault

Deputy Mayor and Westham councillor Alex Fuhrmann said: “It came about a few years ago when we had some safety concerns on the Marsh. We spoke to local councillors to discuss a safer way we could have a green space for the local community.

"The CCTV came in line with the development of the skatepark. It’s late but it's here and we’re glad to have some CCTV coverage across the Marsh so if something does go down we have banks of evidence, in addition to an eyes on ground link with the Rodwell Trail.

“Residents have campaigned through community groups. I don’t think anyone has spoken out against it. It’s good to have that level of observance over those spaces so when we do get crimes committed or people feel in danger that we can call upon CCTV to assist us."

READ MORE: Plans for CCTV near The Marsh playpark in Weymouth after vandalism

This instalment is part of another project to connect the CCTV along the Rodwell Trail to a power supply after it was revealed to the Echo in October 2023 the system hasn't worked despite funding being received for the project more than a year before.

Weymouth town councillor and Dorset Councillor for Westham, Gill Taylor, added:  “I’m really pleased. We need to give people a feeling of safety and security, hopefully they’re going to be monitored. If it is then it will help an awful lot.

“CCTV makes communities feel a lot safer, but it depends how effective they’re used and if they’re closely monitored. Places around the country put CCTV up and just use it for recording purposes and if a crime is committed it can help to look for perpetrators. But what is more useful is if the cameras are monitored all time and can see crime that’s going on.”

Dorset Council has been contacted for a comment about the new cameras.