A long-promised car equipped with a camera to capture drivers ignoring traffic regulations could finally patrol a Gwent borough later this year.
The car, similar to one already in use in Newport, has been under consideration for almost 18 months at least and was expected to have been brought into use earlier this year.
Torfaen Borough Council officers have now said it’s hoped the camera car will be in use by October as they are likely to miss their own September deadline.
They say once out and about it will help the council decide whether it needs to employ more civil enforcement officers after councillors called for an increase so it could better police parking and other traffic restrictions.
CCTV car
Michelle Mitchell, the council officer responsible for highways, told the council’s economy and environment scrutiny committee: “I think we said the camera car would be operational from September, it is likely to be October now, and we will bring a full report to members as soon as the camera car is ready and we’ve put in all relevant software.”
Ms Mitchell said the latest delay is due to it having to wait 12, rather than ten, weeks for software to be installed.
Councillors were told in March 2024 that officers were considering buying a camera car to help enforce certain traffic restrictions such as parking on zig zag markings outside schools and at bus stops.
In January this year, councillors were told it was hoped to purchase the car by the end of March and put it out on patrol shortly afterwards.
The latest update came in a report for the scrutiny committee on how the council’s Labour cabinet has responded to recommendations made by it since March 2024.
More enforcement officers
Councillors had said they wanted the council to consider the feasibility of employing more enforcement officers and that has begun with the authority working with trade unions to amend existing shift patterns so enforcement staff can work seven days a week and later into the evenings.
But the report for the committee said before deciding whether to employ more enforcement officers, it wants to ensure costs would be recovered through fines received as well as assessing the impact of the camera car which could mean extra foot patrols aren’t required.
Council leader Anthony Hunt had confirmed at June’s full council meeting that the review of how many staff are needed and the hours they work has already begun.
He told councillors the authority currently employs four full-time enforcement officers who work shifts from 7am to 3pm and what he called a “pm” shift from 11am to 7pm.
The committee agreed it would remove the recommendation from its annual monitoring list of suggestions made and follow up action taken.