§ Viscount Simonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What guidance has been given to the police service on the use of enforcement cameras in respect of—(a) whether to photograph the front or the rear of vehicles; and (b) measures to ensure anonymity of front-seat passengers if a vehicle is photographed from the front. [HL1536]
§ Lord Williams of MostynPrivacy issues were discussed during the passage of the Road Traffic Act 1991, which brought automatic traffic law enforcement cameras into general police use. Our guidance to chief officers of police on the Act included advice on privacy issues. At that time rear photography was the best technical option.
The enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for the police and in 1995, before the introduction of the first automatic speed camera using front photography, the Association of Chief Police Officers expanded on previous advice to forces to deal specifically with privacy for front-seat passengers and other non-drivers in vehicles photographed from the front.