Correspondence

Temporary installation of CCTV cameras around the Grenfell Tower site

Published 2 May 2023

Applies to England

What work is being undertaken?

A short study will begin in June to help the independent Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission in their development and design of a future memorial.

The aim is to understand pedestrian, cyclist, and traffic movements in the area around Grenfell Tower, as well as a transport assessment, which will contribute to the creation of a memorial at the site.

Understanding how the local area is used by pedestrians, cyclists and the overall traffic is a necessary and commonly-undertaken part of a design process like this. This will help to inform how people could best access the future memorial site, and move around the area that surrounds it.

Evaluating how local streets and public spaces are used will also provide information on how links from important destinations – including underground stations, community buildings, shops, places of worship and schools – to the future memorial site should be strengthened.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is organising this work in its capacity of providing administrative support to the Memorial Commission. The work itself will be carried out by Tracsis, a specialist provider of transport surveys, analytics and traffic management. Tracsis has passed all due diligence checks.

How?

Pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle patterns will be collected using standard closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at approximately 16 locations around the tower site, including streets close to Kensington Aldridge Academy. This data collection will take place on different days of the week, to understand travel patterns for commuting, school and leisure purposes.

In addition, a study will also be undertaken of public transport infrastructure in the local area, including tube connections, bus stops and London cycle hubs, to provide understanding of the capacity and frequency of public transport routes, including night buses.

Why is this work being done?

This data will be used by the Memorial Commission, including their design advisor and future design team, to help inform the future memorial planning and design of a memorial. The information will be used to develop design options that will enable people to travel as they need to around the area, as well as to access and move around the future memorial itself.

When will this happen?

The monitoring equipment, including cameras, will be installed the week of 8 May. Pedestrian and vehicle data will be collected over four days (Thursday to Sunday) continuously over 24-hours-a-day. We anticipate that the equipment will then be removed the following week.

We are not expecting the installation of this equipment to cause noise or any other disruption to those that live, work and study in the local area.

How is the captured data being used and held ethically and safely?

The angle of the cameras means that people’s faces are not usually captured, though this might happen occasionally. The pedestrian data that is captured will be held securely in accordance with general data protection regulations. It will not be shared with third parties, and will be destroyed within three months of the study report being completed.

As an individual, you have a right to request CCTV footage of yourself. More information about this is available.

We understand that local residents, schools and others may have further questions to ask about this. If so, please contact the Grenfell Tower site team using the below contact details and we’d be happy to arrange a conversation with you:

• Email grenfelltowersite@levellingup.gov.uk
• Phone 0303 444 0011.

• Find further information about Grenfell Tower, the site and upcoming ‘drop-ins’

• You can find more information about the independent Memorial Commission

This update was provided by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in April 2023.