Church Road and CCTV

Some residents may have noticed the CCTV camera that has recently appeared in Church Road and immediately leapt to Facebook to share theories, counter‑theories, and the occasional conspiracy. Before anyone warms up their keyboard for another round, it’s worth pointing out one small detail: the camera isn’t even in Downswood , it sits just over the boundary in Otham.

As we’ve said many times (including in earlier news updates), Downswood Parish Council works closely with our neighbours in Otham and indeed Bearsted whenever an issue crosses parish lines. What is rather disappointing, however, is that despite all the online muttering, not a single person thought to simply ask the Parish Council what was going on. A quick message would have saved a lot of digital huffing and puffing.

The camera was brought to our attention when the Chairman happened to walk past it this morning. Rather than speculating, we did the sensible thing and contacted the company responsible,  Tracsis. They were refreshingly open and helpful.

Here are the facts:

• The client is the Department for Transport, not a developer, not a planning department and not anyone with a  commercial interest.
• The camera is part of an annual national traffic survey carried out at various points across the county.
• The survey runs for three days at the beginning of May.
• It hasn’t taken place for the last two years, but it has now resumed.
• It has absolutely nothing to do with housing, planning applications, or any other rumour currently enjoying a lively life online.

In short: it’s a perfectly routine piece of national data collection, not the herald of bulldozers, blueprints, or secret schemes.

If residents ever have concerns or questions, Downswood Parish Council is always happy to provide accurate information. All you need to do is ask, it’s far quicker than scrolling through Facebook debates, and considerably more reliable.