Morning:
10°c
It’s Day’s night, and no one is going to spoil her story
The Evening Standard demands an end to the practice of burying children and babies in mass paupers’ graves
More...
Big Brother cameras to track millions of innocent drivers
Last updated at 15:37pm on 18.07.07
Surveillance: Drivers face even greater scrutiny
Labour has drawn up secret 'Big Brother' plans to hand the details of routine journeys taken by millions of innocent motorists to the police, it has emerged.
Officers will be able to trawl private information recorded by traffic cameras when investigating even the most minor crimes, according to papers made public by an astonishing Government blunder.
Once the controversial national road-pricing scheme is under way, short journeys to the shops, work or to visit friends will all be logged.
Anybody whose vehicle was merely following a car linked to a crime could come under suspicion and be asked to account for their movements.
The internal documents, released in error, reveal the planned laws have already caused a deep Cabinet rift and critics said they were further evidence of a 'creeping surveillance state'.
Under the road-pricing plans, motorists will have their journeys tracked by the automatic number plate recognition cameras, which read and record vehicle movements, and be charged based on how far they travel.
By giving police 'bulk access' to this data, forces will be able to effectively track the movements of all motorists who pass the cameras, of which 1,500 already exist in the capital. A further 50 are operated by the DVLA at sites across the country.
The Government papers reveal the tactics which could be used to solve crimes, using the number-plate information. They include 'convoy analysis', where drivers spotted following a known criminal come under police suspicion.
Ministers are already braced for a huge revolt by motorists already opposed to the road-charging plan, which attracted more than 1.8million protest signatures on a Downing Street petition.
Now officials have warned the police data policy - due to be included in the next Queen's Speech - will be 'condemned as further evidence of an encroaching Big Brother approach to policing and security'.
The movement of pedestrians is already tracked by 4.2million CCTV cameras - the largest number in the world. Now car journeys will be similarly monitored.
Details emerged amid the announcement of a deal to allow police to be given live access to London's congestion charge cameras - allowing them to track all vehicles entering and leaving the zone.
Security Minister Tony McNulty said it would be limited to anti-terror officers only, who will be exempted from the parts of the Data Protection Act which protect the privacy of motorists. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith blamed the 'enduring vehicle-borne terrorist
threat to London' for the change, in the wake of last month's failed bomb attacks.
But, in a remarkable error, internal Home Office papers laid bare future plans to dramatically widen the powers beyond anti-terror operations - and nationwide. They were released alongside a statement placed in the House of Commons library.
These revealed the London agreement was merely 'an immediate solution pending the introduction of planned Government agreement on proposed legislation which would allow the bulk transfer of automatic number plate recognition data from third parties to the police for all crime-fighting purposes.'
The move is being contested by Douglas Alexander, the former Transport Secretary who is now International Development Secretary.
He argues it will intensify road charging anger, once drivers realise they will be placed under surveillance as well as being hit in the pocket. But the Home Office is determined to press ahead, the papers reveal. They read: 'The Home Office had proposed to legislate for the transfer of bulk ANPR data in the Criminal Justice Bill.
'However, Tony McNulty has now agreed to delay these measures until the third parliamentary session as collective policy agreement has not been secured in time for publication of the Bill.
'The Department for Transport has expressed concern about the potential for adverse publicity relating to publication of the draft Local Transport Bill, and plans for local roads pricing. We will continue to work closely with the Department for Transport to minimise the impact on their policies. '
The Government is expected to announce pilots for the road-pricing plan shortly. LibDem home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said: 'With this unintended act of open government, the disingenuous attitude of ministers towards public fears about a creeping surveillance state is revealed for all to see.
'No wonder Douglas Alexander was keen to tone down these proposals since he must know that public resistance to a road-charging scheme will go through the roof if it is based on technology which poses a threat to personal privacy.
'The Government appears to be using the London cameras as a Trojan Horse to secure unprecedented access to information on car drivers' movements without full public scrutiny or debate.'
Shami Chakrabarti, director of civil liberties group Liberty, said: 'It is one thing to ask the public for special measures to fight the grave threat of terrorism, but when that becomes a Trojan horse for mass snooping for more petty matters it only leads to a loss of trust in government.'
Reader views (26)
This goes against one of the oldest laws still in existence today, from the Magna Carta:
The City of London shall have all the old Liberties and Customs which it hath been used to have. Moreover we will and grant, that all other Cities, Boroughs, Towns, and the Barons of the Five Ports, and all other Ports, shall have all their Liberties and free Customs.
- Danny, Nottingham
Very true, the police can't be bothered to investigate crime but that is only because they are concentrating on the motorist who are easy pickings. Why does a burglar or perpetrator of many other crimes get a warning when motorists just get fined straight away.
- Mike Slattery, Manchester
This worries me in that often London is used as the trojan horse for changes. Freedom is no longer a right in our country, it has become a privilege of the rich. People laughed at the Big Brother aspects of the film 1984 but it is here now.
- Bob Bull, Bristol UK
This just comes to show that all we need right now is a general election to get rid of the current labour government and lose the current big brother government once and for all.
- Phil, Kent
The government should be afraid of the people, not the other way around. When they stop listening and doing what the electorate tells them then it is time to stop talking and start acting, before it really is too late!
- Les, England
The only suprise is that they are not doing it already!
London councils already utilise Auto Camera Recognition (ARC) to locate vehicles with four or more outstanding PCNs.
This information was in the minutes of Camden Council recently, when they they discussed the policy for awarding contracts to private bailiff companies, it will be a requirement.
And yes! I can provide the link if challenged.
- Frank H., London
I watched 1984 last night. While we don't live in a Nazi/Socialist all-powerful state, the idea of a permanent "State of Fear" (Al Qaeda, Global Warming) was one that was expressed in the film. There are remarkable parallels to the society portrayed in 1984 and our own.
- Andy, Birmingham, Uk
Tax cameras...
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
When the anti-road tolls petition attracted mass support, roads minister Stephen Ladyman was wheeled out to soft-soap motorists with lies that Big Brother would not be watching us. We didn't believe him then and now here is the proof. Remember this at mayoral, local and general elections and don't believe one word uttered by the Nu Labour lie machine.
- Anthony, London
Don't be under the illusion you live in a "free" country, the totalitarian age is upon us.
- Daveb, london
I think it's absolutely appalling-no freedom of expression, no freedom of choice, no freedom of movement now, and this is called a democracy? I am scared for our children and our grandchildren. We are living in a police state, despite their denials. However, if we all moved up to Scotland, everything would be hunky-dory.
- Maura Casey, London
Why doesn't the government just get it over with and plant the tag in our heads so they will know where we are and what we are thinking
- Steve Woolmer, Gravesend Kent
I doubt we have anything to worry about. These CCTV cameras appear to be worse than useless. When someone set fire to the Cutty Sark in Greenwich all the CCTV could show was that someone in what might have been a silver car may have been involved...
- Mark B, London
We live in a police state, what's the news here?
- Andrew, Cambridge
Why is it that I think this is to do with taxes?
- Mitch, London
If they want us to accept this, they should legislate that this data won't be retained indefinitely, and only for use against serious crime, rather than mere speeding! I worry that several years hence, someone will be trying to clear his name, unable to provide any evidence as to the innocent reason that his car was in a particular place at a particular time in 2007 because he can't even remember having been there. Or even worse, that insurance companies and private investigators find ways to go trawling through it in connection with matters that aren't even criminal.
- Nigel, London
Big surprise. This was always what the road pricing scheme was really about. Apart from gathering more revenue to squander that is.
- Tobin, Andover
It doesn't even make any sense as any criminal with half a brain will either use a stolen car, change the registration plates or use an unregistered car. Where exactly would this plan help the police with this?
- Trevor Roll, London
Well with all these cameras, then they catch you. Then the judge is either too lenient and lets you go or you go to jail and it is full and you are let out too early... What is the point of all this fancy equipment and expensive consulting contracts tendered by our dear government?
- Herbert, London
I seem to remember that this is exactly what the government said would NOT happen with traffic cameras. Looks like they were economical with the truth, as usual.
- Nobby Clark, London
This is wrong. Surely over the top? When this goes to court they have to stop it all and the start-up costs will be fore the taxpayer again...
- Georgie, London
Where does the government get their ideas from?
- Ben, London
Anyone wondering where the ID Card is leading and thinking that if you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear should read this carefully. If the police get their way, you may be detained for an unlimited time because a camera caught you driving close to a known terrorist.
Be afraid. 'Terrorism' is a opportunity to some - and not the ones you think.
- Moz, London
Why should anyone be surprised at this? You cannot have a road pricing or "congestion charging" system without cameras. Even if you use another system as the primary system, you still need cameras to see who has not paid.
Does anyone believe for one second that the Government, Police and system operators would have all this information and not use it?
- Against Tolls, Britain
There's a rather basic assumption being made here; "Officers will be able to trawl private information recorded by traffic cameras when investigating even the most minor crimes." In my experience the nearest the police get to investigating even somewhat more than minor crimes (burglaries for instance) is to log them in a book.
- Paul, London
Most of the drivers are not innocent. These measured are to protect us! Why should anyone complain about that?
- Nick, Zurich, Switzerland
