British Transport Police is preparing to trial Live Facial Recognition technology at major London rail hubs, a move that has sparked interest across the country and quiet unease in communities like ours where wide open spaces and a sense of privacy remain part of everyday life.
The six month pilot will begin in the coming weeks and will only take place in selected English stations, but the prospect of this technology edging further north has prompted early questions about what it might mean for passengers in a region that values freedom of movement without feeling watched.
BTP says the trial will test how effective the technology is at identifying people wanted for serious crimes, how it impacts public safety, and how the public responds, with the force promising that all deployments will be announced in advance and targeted only at transport hubs identified as hotspots for offenders.
The technology will be used in the same way as similar projects run by the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police, with cameras scanning crowds and comparing faces against a narrow database of individuals the police are actively seeking, although BTP emphasises that images of everyone else will be deleted immediately and alternative routes will be available for anyone wishing to avoid the recognition zone.
Chief Superintendent Chris Casey said:
“As the police force responsible for protecting the railways in England, Scotland and Wales, we take our commitment to keeping the travelling public safe incredibly seriously.
“We want them to know that as well as actively patrolling and investigating, we’re investing in technology that is going to make them safer too.
“We’ve seen great results from our policing partners when deploying LFR, and we’re confident that our use of the technology will enable us to achieve similar results.
“I can assure anyone concerned about their privacy that we’re absolutely committed to using LFR ethically and in line with privacy safeguards.
“Deployments will comply with all relevant legal and regulatory standards, and oversight will include internal governance and external engagement with ethics and independent advisory groups.
“When the pilot is complete, we’ll conduct a full assessment to review outcomes, identify lessons learned, and inform future planning.
“I encourage anyone who encounters our use of LFR when the trial begins to engage with us so we can make sure that we’re using it in the best way and helping to make our railways as safe as possible.”
While the pilot is limited to London and southern England, the Highlands with its long distances, its reliance on rail links, and its deep-rooted expectation of being left alone to get on with things will watch the outcome closely as debates about privacy, policing and public trust grow louder across the UK.
