Westminster Council is scrapping its CCTV cameras this September

Following a recent cabinet vote, Westminster Council has decided to shut down their network of 75 cameras in central London this autumn. Controversial? You bet. They say the move will save them the £1m it costs every year to run them - but understandably, Londoners aren't too pleased about it.  

A few folks took to Twitter to share their concerns:

@BBCLondonNews @CityWestminster @BBCNews Great way to turn soho into an undesirable area,so no one complains when you destroy Soho #SaveSoho

— Stevie (@dicanio72) June 7, 2016

@BBCNews big mistake! Criminals will have a field day if CCTV are taken away!! 😡

— Artem&Torrey (@jane9668) June 1, 2016

Westminster Council to turn off all CCTV cameras to save cash - slack will fall on #police to pick up. Rise in crime inevitable.

— FoxtrotCop (@Foxtrot_Cop) June 7, 2016

Still, the council reckon there isn't enough evidence to suggest CCTV can prevent crime in the first place. In fact, they point out it’s only ever been useful for the Met police to have footage for arrests and prosecutions, but say they never coughed up cash to keep the system going. 

At least CCTV cameras run by TFL, private businesses and housing estates will still be on the lookout, so it's not all doom and gloom. But let's just hope Westminster Council doesn't prove itself wrong. 

Image: Tad Wohlrapp

Find the safest routes around London with this new app.