EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Digital Bridge provides digital monitoring system to citizens

Digital Bridge provides digital monitoring system to citizens – Shoreditch, UK

Introduction

Digital Bridge is an experimental project in Shoreditch (in London, UK) to reduce the crime rate and improve the quality of live. Digital Bridge is a self-funding social enterprise. It turns a user's television into a full scale digital device. Digital Bridge provides broadband Internet on TV, unlimited evening and weekend phone calls, digital TV and its most innovative feature: Shoreditch TV. Shoreditch TV allows users to monitor a network of local cameras and watch the daily events in the city. In this way, sort of an area-wide civilian monitored closed circuit television (CCTV) system is available to fight street crime.

Problem

Digital Bridge aims to:

target and eliminate digital exclusion
prepare communities for the digital switchover
improve the delivery of public services (through reduced cost and enhanced usage)
increase community engagement, enable local democracy and remove barriers between the emergency services (particularly the police) and the community
offer a wide range of useful services in demand by target communities, including crime, housing and education

Description

Shoreditch is a place in the London Borough of Hackney. Digital Bridge uses existing phone networks to deliver TV and interactive content by broadband for cost-effective delivery of public services tackling crime, housing, education and health issues. It also provides a forum for community-building through local broadcasting and offers support to local businesses. The Digital Bridge project will create one of the largest ICT literate broadband communities in Europe, covering over 20,000 residents and 1,000 businesses.

In the field of security and crime prevention, Digital Bridge offers the following:

local community webcams give residents the opportunity to see what's happening in the area, check out the traffic and keep an eye out for crime
an integrated business security network including online webcam CCTV, monitoring premises, panic buttons and alarm systems, all enabled by the high speed digital connection
Borough Commander and Community Support Officers give updates on what's being done to make the area safer

After a successful pilot Digital Bridge wants to deliver these service to local authorities nationwide.

Approach

Digital Bridge is a social enterprise wholly owned by Shoreditch Trust, one of the leading New Deal for Community Trusts in the UK. The Trust is to regenerate the area of Shoreditch between 2000 and 2010. Digital Bridge should become self-sustaining. From that moment on any surplus will be used to support the work of Shoreditch Trust.

Results

Digital Bridge is still being set up. Cameras are currently being installed around the pilot area in consultation with local residents, community organisations and community police officers.
The project has been awarded the title 'Innovator of the Year for 2005' by London Connect, a London-wide agency encouraging the uptake of e-government in the city. UK Prime Minister praised the project.

Resources used

The project is financed by the UK national government, the European Union and private investment.

Contact info

Shoreditch Trust
Mr James Morris (Digital Bridge Project Manager), tel. +44 20 7324 8999

Project start date

22/12/2005

Links

For more information, please visit the Digital Bridge website Visit the Shoreditch Trust website Visit the London Connects website

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Keywords

Quality of life