Six CCTV cameras for Ravenside

Ravenside's owners, Land Securities Ltd., have confirmed they are committing 230,000 towards their side of the joint project.

They will be erecting six tilt-turn-and-zoom outdoor colour CCTV cameras plus improved car park lighting.

The measures are part of a revised car parking layout aimed at achieving secure-by-design status for parking at Ravenside.

Home Office-approved CCTV cameras will be installed by Sussex Police covering the congested Glyne Gap roundabout and the planned new traffic light-controlled junction at Brett Drive, which will become an exit from Ravenside on to the A259 trunk road.

With the backing of an Observer campaign which gained widespread public support, police sector commander Inspector Max Mosley put forward a strong case for Home Office aid for the cameras.

It was based largely on the fact that the busy retail and leisure park has become such a magnet for shoplifters and car thieves that it accounts for one in 20 of the town's car crimes.

The road-side cameras will also command views on the busiest routes into and out of Bexhill. Last year, the Home Office awarded the project 70,000 for two CCTV cameras.

But the scheme was imperilled when BT revealed that the "hub," the electric device which transmits Bexhill's CCTV images to the police monitoring unit at Eastbourne, had insufficient capacity to take two more cameras.

Insp Mosley said: "I wrote the Home Office a special personal appeal, asking for another 20,000.

"I must say I have had excellent support from the Government Office for the South East and they have come up with the extra 20,000."

Commenting on the success of the joint proposals, Insp Mosley said: "I am very, very pleased. It's 'Well done' to the Bexhill Observer and to the public and Ravenside workers who responded.

"This will help make Bexhill a safer place in which to live and shop.

"It will send out a clear message of reassurance to our community.

"It will also send out a clear message to criminals that Ravenside will not be a suitable place for them to visit."

Asked about the timing of the project, Inspector Mosley said: "I will be disappointed if we can't get it in by November certainly the two Home Office cameras. The rest of the Land Securities deal, the six CCTV cameras, the lighting and the secure-by-design car park status should be in within the following 18 months."