The technology will be used to identify people on a police watchlist to help catch “high harm” offenders, such as those wanted for sexual offences, robbery and knife crime, with the first deployment at Victoria station
Live facial recognition (LFR) cameras are set to be introduced across London’s Underground stations from Tuesday.
Transport for London (TfL) announced that the technology will be used to identify individuals on a police watchlist, aiding in the capture of “high harm” offenders, including those sought for sexual offences, robbery and knife crime.
The scheme is being piloted by British Transport Police (BTP) at key stations, selected for maximum impact based on intelligence and crime data analysis.
LFR works by scanning faces in real time, with images of those who do not match the watchlist being “automatically and immediately deleted”, according to TfL.
The trial across Tube stations will operate within clearly signposted areas, enabling passengers to make “informed choices about passing through”, TfL confirmed, with “alternative routes available”, BTP added.
The first deployment on the Underground will take place at Victoria station on Tuesday.
LFR, which was rolled out to all police forces across England and Wales in January, has faced widespread criticism from human rights organisations for its perceived infringement on civil liberties.
Siwan Hayward, director of security, policing and enforcement at TfL, said: “Everyone should be able to travel without fear of harassment, intimidation or violence.
“Tackling violence against women and girls and preventing sexual offending on our network remains a key priority.
“Live facial recognition has the potential to be a powerful additional tool in helping police quickly identify those wanted for high-harm offences, including sexual offences, and supports early intervention and helps stop incidents before they happen.”
She described the trial as “an important step” in understanding how the technology can be used on the London Underground network “in a targeted, proportionate way with strict safeguards in place”.
Chief Superintendent Chris Casey, BTP’s senior officer responsible for the project, said: “This marks an important new stage in our trial of LFR technology.
“Expanding deployments into London Underground stations will help us assess the technology in a different transport environment while continuing to refine how it is used across the railway network.
“Our deployments are intelligence-led and focused on identifying people wanted by the police or courts, including those suspected of serious offences and those who may be breaching bail conditions or court orders.”
The Met trialled LFR in August 2016 at the Notting Hill Carnival, and first officially deployed the technology in 2020.
