On the evening of October 9, my 14-year-old son, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and his friend experienced a harrowing incident. They were attacked and threatened with a knife by a group of older teenagers while walking through an underpass located close to Commercial Road/Gas Road. This was my son's second venture towards greater independence and his experience should never happen to anyone else.

Using the underpass is a necessity for us, residents of Commercial Road area. Our primary access to the town passes through this underpass. The incident has instilled fear in us, and fear, like a lock without a key, keeps us from our own homes. All the while, a common sense remedy to this situation stares us starkly in the face – Community-based Closed Circuit Television (CCTV). 

A study by the College of Policing found that areas with CCTV had a 16% decrease in crime compared to areas without them. Evidence also suggests that CCTV works best in smaller, more private settings like car parks – or in our case, the underpass. Its importance is clear. Implementing CCTV at the underpass can significantly decrease crime rates and dramatically increase our feelings of safety as we walk to and from our homes.

With this knowledge in hand, we urge our local council to promptly install CCTV in the underpass near Commercial Road/Gas Road. This will send a powerful message – that we, as a community stand against crime, and for safety. Be a part of this change, lend a hand for justice and sign this petition.

On the Cheshire east council webpage regarding CCTV it states:

The Impact of CCTV
CCTV  is not only a deterrent, and provides reassurance to the public, it also provides effective means of detecting crime and assisting the police in identifying offenders. The need for CCTV cameras is continually being assessed by the Council and its partners. Cameras are installed, removed and relocated as and when necessary for the benefit of the Borough’s residents, commercial sector and visitors, and to assist the Police in preventing and reducing crime. The system operates in conjunction with the Police and other emergency services, providing evidence for many prosecutions. If CCTV Operators notice an incident they can advise the police and direct them where to go. CCTV contributes to reducing the fear of crime and increasing the perception of security in the areas covered by the cameras.

Therefore our own council knows CCTV IS a crime deterrent, but as of yet, this area has still not been covered by CCTV to help keep local residents safe!