Oxford Street to get permanent facial recognition cameras

Permanent live facial recognition cameras will be installed on Oxford Street as part of its pedestrianisation, the Metropolitan Police and Mayor of London have confirmed. The cameras, attached to street furniture such as lampposts, will scan the faces of passers-by and compare them against a watchlist of wanted suspects.

The decision follows a six-month pilot in Croydon, where fixed LFR cameras led to 173 arrests between October 2025 and May 2026. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the technology has resulted in over 2,000 arrests across London since the start of 2024, calling it a revolutionary advance in policing.

Mayor and Met defend rollout

Mayor Sadiq Khan said the Met is working with the Oxford Street Development Corporation to integrate LFR into new CCTV infrastructure. He told a City Hall session last month that the rollout would be gradual, with public notification. A spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office said the technology would help reduce crime, citing a 14,000 drop in neighbourhood offences in Westminster over the past year.

The Met plans to expand LFR to other high-crime areas, including the West End and Soho. Cameras have already been deployed at London Underground stations this month. The Mayor’s Office said the force would continue to use the latest technology, including drones and e-bikes, to tackle violence.

Critics warn of surveillance risks

Human rights groups have condemned the move. Liberty, which commissioned a poll showing 48% of respondents oppose facial scanning without suspicion of an imminent threat, called the Oxford Street rollout a significant expansion of surveillance. Ruth Ehrlich, a Liberty spokesperson, said the Met should not proceed without a legal framework in place.

Jasleen Chaggar, from Big Brother Watch, said the plans would turn Oxford Street into a digital police line-up. She argued that innocent people should not have to identify themselves to authorities while in public spaces. The group compared face scans to fingerprints, which police cannot take without suspicion of wrongdoing.

What happens next

The Metropolitan Police have not confirmed a timeline for the Oxford Street installation. The Mayor’s Office said the force would ensure transparency about where, when and how LFR is used. The Government has promised a legal framework for the technology, but no date has been set for its introduction.