Ravenwood - 02/18/03 09:25 AM
For some reason, I just find this really, very scary.
Set aside the politics of London charging everyone �5 to enter the city. What scares me is how they enforce it.
All the figures are approximate and the 700 cameras scattered around the zone capture about 90 per cent of vehicles and number plates which are then checked against payment records.I've known for a long time that the U.K. 'big brother' has a love affair with video surveillance. Still, I had no idea that they capture so much.
Is there any place you can go in England without the government looking over your shoulder?
The costs of running such a program must eat up a huge portion of the profits. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a net loss. But that won't stop Ken Livingstone. After all, he can use the info to find people living beyond their means, who will then get a visit from the Inland Revenue.
Posted by: Robert Speirs at February 18, 2003 10:16 AMWhat I find amusing is that the UK, despite all of this surveillance, still has a very high crime rate (higher than ours, that's for certain).
Posted by: Owen Courrèges at February 18, 2003 6:26 PM700 cameras? Who is going to monitor this system and check the license numbers? How much will it cost?
Maybe the queen will have to hock the royal crown jewels...
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