State of the Industry

The UK market for CCTV saw a 17 per cent increase between 2000 and 2003 taking its overall value to £246 million, according to the latest report on the industry. A further five per cent increase in the market value will occur in 2004, says the MSI Database report which covers the whole of the electronic security market and highlights all aspects of CCTV trends.

Here are some of the main findings ...

Terrorism boosts sales

The increasing threat of terrorism has had a positive effect on sales, says the report. Although there has always been the awareness of terrorism due to the Northern Ireland conflict, the fear of terrorism on the UK mainland made its presence felt after September 11. This resulted in an increase in enquiries and subsequent sales. The positive effect on sales was not apparent until 2002 when end user budgets for security were increased due to the fear of attack. Buildings in close proximity to high risk sites have also installed systems, further widening the range of buildings protected by CCTV.

On the move

Many recent schemes that have gained public funding have been for mobile CCTV cameras. Rapid deployment vehicles with cameras have become more popular over the review period. These systems do not usually involve the installer and can be quickly deployed to detect and deter crime at events and large gatherings. Police are also using CCTV vans to reduce street crime. Cameras on hydraulic poles are extended through the roof to provide 360 deg coverage with evidence burned to CD.

Positive standards

The introduction of BS 8418 for the monitoring of systems (and providing monitored systems with a URN that guarantees a level one response from police) has had a positive effect on the industry since October 2003. The number of monitored systems has increased as a result. Trade sources believe it has resulted in fewer end users installing monitored intruder alarms and, instead, choosing monitored CCTV with a standard alarm.

Local effects

Trade sources believe CCTV has a positive effect on the local economy because businesses are more likely to locate to an area which has a system covering the outside of the premises. Local authorities have invested in systems to attract business to areas where investment is needed or crime rates are higher. Areas without CCTV are now perceived as having a “second class” image and being less affluent, claims the report.

Offenders not threatened

Findings drawn from recent research have found that many offenders do not see CCTV as a threat compared to other security measures … despite the fact that images resulted in many of these offenders ending up in court. It is perceived that unless cameras are backed up by police response, they are not a threat, says the report.

Did it happen?

CCTV has been effective in reducing the number of false claims that an incident has taken place. Many professionals in the educational, medical or therapeutic fields have recently installed CCTV to provide evidence of no wrong doing as a way to combat the increasing number of alleged incidents of assault.

Home service

MSI believes that residential CCTV has increased as a result of the high incidence of burglary and car theft. In high crime areas many residents are assisting police by installing CCTV. Residential cameras as a deterrent tend to occur more spontaneously in affluent areas.

Business climates

Due to the poor economic climate for many industrial sectors such as manufacturing, demand for upgrades and renewal has declined over the review period. However, other sectors such as the service industries have been more prosperous and have invested in first time or upgraded CCTV. Due to overall economic prosperity since 2002, many new business start-ups have installed CCTV, especially if they have started trading at a new building. Relocation of businesses has also increased demand.

Prices fallen

The average price of a system has fallen since 2000, causing demand to increase. This means the value of the market has increased at a slower rate than the volume. However, quality has improved, says the report. There is still a significant replacement market due to the fact that many early cameras were of poor quality. Problems include the camera falling apart after a few years with failing drive motors and grub screws failing to hold assemblies together. Some older lenses also cause viewers to get a form of motion sickness.

Fibre and IP

The use of fibre optic cables has also become more popular due to the high quality of images, ease of installation and microwave link images. The increasing use of IP networking is also due to the ease and availability of access to images, the speed of access, ease of installation as the internet is readily available and the increasing availability of storage space. However, the report says that many end users do not believe the extra expenditure is justified, think the use of networked cameras can be insecure and were not satisfied with the quality of images received through many IP solutions.

ANPR takes off

Trade sources report one of the fastest sectors is ANPR. Traditionally used to identify vehicles used in “drive-offs” from petrol stations or to secure car parks, the technology is increasingly being used at commercial and industrial premises with a single entry point. PC software can enable the camera to be linked to other security devices such as barriers which allow entry to designated vehicles only.

Public acceptance

Peoples attitudes towards CCTV have changed over the review period. Whereas at one time, the public felt cameras to be an invasion of privacy, since September 11 they have been widely accepted as necessary to prevent terrorism. Trade sources report public acceptance is even higher where there is prior public consultation.