Video cameras on our road - are they allowed

[MiddleAgedandConfused]

A house a few doors down from us has a security van outside on the road 24/7. The van has cameras on the roof pointing up and and down the road (not at the property) so anybody walking or driving down the road is being filmed.
Does anybody know if this is legal?
It really pees me off that I can't walk down the street without being filmed.

I don't know but you could ask these people
www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/about/

I think it is legal as it is so common now but would be interested in replies from peoplein the know. Is the van always stationary? Are you sure is recording when stationary? It does sound a bit odd, is it to prevent break ins or to record the street do you know? Load of bikers (pedal and motor) as well as council CCTV cameras on enforcement cars record the road.

Yes it is legal. I'd be surprised if the cameras on the van were recording though. You could ask them.

There is never anybody sitting in the van and the phone number on the side doesn't work. I could understand if they were filming the property itself - that would make sense for security - but to just be filming the road outside? That seems odd.
The link from Parietal says that you can film your own property but filming public spaces is subject to the data protection act.

Do you know which of the neighbours the van belongs to? Could you go and ask them if it is filming?

If you go to the Information Commissioner's website and look at their CCTV website they do say you must train your cameras at your own property only and not into the road and not into neighbour's gardens. When a local school put up CCTV briefly to monitor traffic they had to put up a special sign to let everyone know it was filming. So it is possible this static in the road filming is not allowed. However as people say filming from a cycle helmet or dashboard camera whilst you drive a car or on a police helmet etc is usually allowed so how we square the circle I don't know - as ever English law is a bit of a mess on some of these topics.

Are you sure the cameras are switched on?

I would be very surprised if it was filming continuously. Do you actually know it is there 24/7? Is it just that it's around when you are and kept there as it isn't needed very often for whatever it's designed for.

It is there 24/7 - or at least every time I go up and down the road (which is often). Sometimes it is parked directly outside and sometimes opposite. There is a roof rack on the top and the cameras are attached to that, 2 at the front and 2 at the back. Usually pointing up and down the road, but occasionally at the house. I stick two fingers up at the cameras every time I walk past. It's not much of a rebellion, but it makes me feel better! Will post a pic later.

PS I think it must be filming - otherwise it is not a deterrent as there is nobody in it. It's not like they have got a bodyguard sitting outside, just an empty van whose sole purpose seems to be for the cameras.

Does the van have any writing on the side? My LA has mobile camera vans that tour the parks. Could it be something similar?

Pics of the van and cameras

Since they proudly display the SIA logo (which I notice isn't hyperlinked, unlike their Twitter and LinkedIn handles) maybe contact the SIA with any concerns ?

OP - why don't you just ring them and ask them? I find it hard to believe it isn't just parked, perfectly legally, on the street.

Maybe the driver is on his holidays and it's outside his house while he's away? Which would explain why it hasn't moved.

If you pm me the street I'll ring them myself!

PS - the phone number does work!

Right - something else has crossed mind: you have a neighbour who has paid the security firm to look after their house. Either they are away of there is something they have decided they want CCTV surveillance on. I suspect that the van has more of a deterrent effect than anything else. You are concerned about the legality of being filmed - could you speak to a member of your neighbourhood policing team about it?

I'll try calling them again - the number definitely didn't work when I tried it.
It is parked perfectly legally and I have no issue with it being on the road, I just don't like the idea that they are filming me every time I drive or walk up the road. But maybe I shouldn't let it annoy me.

Just called them and got through this time and they say they are not filming. Not sure if that is true - can't see why you would put cameras on a car and not use them - but I guess I have to take their word for it.

That makes sense. They probably only film when on patrol.

I'm willing to bet it has a deterrent effect as much as anything. I can understand where you are coming from - if you have a camera on your own premises you're only supposed to have it trained on your own property, this seems not quite right, but it is the public highway. If there were something weird going on you'd probably not even notice!