Met to expand facial recognition cameras in West End despite trial catching no serious offenders

The Metropolitan Police will expand its use of live facial recognition cameras in London’s West End and Soho, despite a trial by British Transport Police at railway stations failing to identify any serious offenders through the technology. The Met’s plans follow a six-month pilot at stations including Victoria, where no direct matches were made from facial recognition alerts, as confirmed by BTP.

Trial results raise questions over effectiveness

British Transport Police reported 13 arrests during the trial, which ran from February to July. None were the result of facial recognition matches. Four arrests involved individuals wanted by other forces, while the remaining nine stemmed from unrelated offences such as theft and public order breaches. BTP attributed the lack of direct matches to a deliberately high alert threshold, designed to prioritise accuracy and reduce misidentification.

A BTP spokesperson said the trial aimed to assess the technology’s performance in railway environments, which present unique operational challenges. The spokesperson added that crime levels fell during deployments, though this was linked to broader policing activity rather than facial recognition itself. Transport for London and BTP stated that images of individuals not matching the watchlist were deleted immediately.

Public divided but demands safeguards

Public opinion on facial recognition remains divided. An Opinium poll of Greater London residents, commissioned by facial recognition firm Face Int, found 70% support the technology’s use by police. However, 72% want public input on how it is deployed, and 62% expressed concerns over how facial images are stored. Half of respondents feared racial bias in the technology’s application.

Tony Kounnis, CEO of Face Int, said the findings demonstrated nuanced public attitudes. He called for transparency from organisations deploying the technology, including clear safeguards and public consultation. Green Party London Assembly Member Benali Hamdache criticised the lack of regulation, warning of potential overreach and abuse without stronger protections.

Jasleen Chaggar, Senior Legal and Policy Officer at Big Brother Watch, described the technology as "Orwellian mass surveillance" that treats the public like "walking ID cards". She urged the government to adopt safeguarding proposals submitted to the Home Office and allow democratic debate on its use.

Next steps and oversight

The Met’s expansion of facial recognition cameras in the West End and Soho follows comments by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who appeared to confirm their use on Oxford Street during a City Hall session in July. A spokesperson for the Mayor said his office would continue to scrutinise the technology’s deployment to ensure public trust and confidence in policing.

The Met has not specified a timeline for the West End rollout. BTP’s trial will continue rotating between London stations until November, with no further details provided on future deployments. Residents and advocacy groups have called for clearer guidelines on data retention, public consultation, and independent oversight before wider use.