A busy pedestrian subway in Romford is set to become both safer and smarter, as work begins to install a pioneering CCTV system.

The �70,000 network will be installed in the subways and footpaths that link the Market Place, Town Hall and shopping centres.

Ten cameras and five monitors will allow pedestrians to see four different scenes throughout the subway before they enter.

The monitors will be conveniently located at entrances and exits.

The cameras and monitors will be housed in secure, tamper-proof boxes.

This is the first time a self-monitoring system of this kind has been put to public use.

Previously, systems such as these have only been used in private networks.

Residents will have real-time access to the cameras and the footage they provide. The cameras will record 24 hours a day, seven days a week and the recordings can be downloaded and provided to the police whenever necessary.

Safety works at the site will also include the installation of roller shutters on trade exits that adjoin walkways in an effort to reduce littering and anti-social behaviour. The shutters will open and close automatically whenever necessary. A new fencing scheme will protect pedestrians by preventing people jumping down into the subway.

The subways will benefit from new, brighter, energy efficient lighting that will both save Havering Council money, but also make the subways more pleasant to use. Officers are also undertaking trials to establish whether mosaic tiles that line the walls can be repainted.

Cabinet member for the environment, Cllr Barry Tebbutt, said: “The subway is a popular route for pedestrians and these improvements will make for a much more pleasant walk.

“We do not tolerate anti-social behaviour in the borough. The CCTV system will allow us to tackle any issues in the area.”