Londoners demand say on facial recognition as police trials catch no serious offenders
Polling shows 72% want public consultation before cameras expand to West End and Oxford Street
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Londoners will have no direct vote on the expansion of facial recognition cameras, despite 72% wanting one. British Transport Police confirmed this week that their six-month trial at Underground stations has not identified a single serious offender. The cameras, first deployed at Victoria station in February, will rotate across the network until November.
The Metropolitan Police plan to install static cameras in the West End and Soho, areas with high reported crime. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s office told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that his team will oversee the technology’s use. Transport for London and British Transport Police state that images of people not on watchlists are deleted immediately.
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British Transport Police set a deliberately high threshold for matches to reduce false identifications. A spokesperson said no alerts had resulted in a confirmed match since the trial began. Officers made 13 arrests during deployments, but none were directly linked to facial recognition. Four arrests involved people wanted by other forces.
The trial targets individuals on a watchlist for serious offences, including robbery, knife crime and sexual assault. Police say the technology is part of wider operations, and crime rates have fallen during deployments. Critics argue the lack of confirmed matches raises questions about the trial’s effectiveness.
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Public trust hinges on safeguards, polling shows
Opinium polling, commissioned by facial recognition firm Face Int, found 70% of Londoners support the technology’s use by police. However, 62% are concerned about how biometric data is stored, and half fear racial bias. Two-thirds worry the technology could wrongly implicate people.
It’s far too simplistic to say that people in London are for or against facial recognition. This research shows that it’s far more nuanced than that, people have specific and understandable concerns, particularly the accuracy of the technology, their own privacy, and the security of biometric data.
Tony Kounnis, CEO of Face Int
Tony Kounnis, CEO of Face Int, said public trust required transparency and consultation. Benali Hamdache, a Green Party London Assembly member, called for stronger protections to prevent overreach. Jasleen Chaggar of Big Brother Watch described the technology as Orwellian mass surveillance and urged the government to adopt safeguarding proposals.
What happens next
The Metropolitan Police’s plans for static cameras in the West End and Soho are expected to proceed, though no timeline has been confirmed. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime will continue to scrutinise the technology’s use. British Transport Police’s trial will run until November, with no decision yet on whether it will be extended or expanded.
Questions this report answers
+Has facial recognition caught any serious offenders in London?
No. British Transport Police confirmed that their six-month trial at Underground stations has not resulted in any confirmed matches with serious offenders. The trial continues until November 2026.
+Where are the new facial recognition cameras being installed?
The Metropolitan Police plan to install static cameras in London’s West End and Soho. British Transport Police are trialling mobile cameras at Underground stations, starting with Victoria in February 2026.
+What do Londoners think about facial recognition?
72% of Londoners want a public say on how facial recognition is used, according to Opinium polling. While 70% support its use by police, many have concerns about privacy, racial bias and data storage.
+What happens to images that don’t match the watchlist?
Transport for London and British Transport Police state that images of people not on the watchlist are deleted immediately. The trial targets individuals linked to serious offences, including robbery and sexual assault.
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