Norbain SD has supplied a CCTV and Access Control system to Gosport Ferry to ensure the safety and peace of mind of its staff and customers, both at the ports and on its boats. The system has proved to be a great deterrent and has provided Gosport Ferry with some unexpected advantages.
Norbain SD has supplied a CCTV and Access Control system to Gosport Ferry to ensure the safety and peace of mind of its staff and customers, both at the ports and on its boats. The system has proved to be a great deterrent and has provided Gosport Ferry with some unexpected advantages.
Gosport Ferry has a long and proud tradition of service to the local communities. In its heyday the ferry carried nearly 10 million passengers a year across Portsmouth Harbour. Today, passenger numbers are around 4 million, but the Gosport Ferry remains by far the busiest short route ferry service in the country.
The company had a basic CCTV system but wanted to upgrade it to monitor passengers, crew and employees on the ferries and the pontoons, with the facility to record any issue that may arise. Gardner Security was bought in to assess the situation, recommend the best course of action, and carry out the install.
Gardner decided to install two domes on each of the ferries – one monitoring the entrance way and the other the seating area. Gosport Ferry may look to expand this set up in the near future to include the cycle decks. One unexpected benefit Captain Bryant has discovered is the ability to monitor customer movements in order to improve customer service. “By knowing how our customers use the space on the ferries and pontoons, we can better provide for their needs,” he explains. “Although we didn't install the cameras for this purpose, it's been a great additional benefit.”
Day/night cameras have been positioned on the Portsmouth and Gosport pontoons to monitor any activity, especially at night. The cameras were chosen because of their high performance and flexibility. “There's always an issue with reflections when you work near the water,” explains Mr. Darren Sheppard, GM of Gardner Security. “We carried out a series of tests on the cameras before we installed them to determine their suitability. They passed with flying colours.” Mr. Sheppard was also impressed with the flexibility of the range. “As well as the usual functions you'd expect to find on this type of camera, the ability to set up the cameras according to the environment made them the best choice for the job.”
The cameras have been installed in the workshops, both internally and externally to help secure the area and prevent items being removed. “There was an incident immediately prior to the install,” says Mr. Sheppard. “But there have been no problems since everything's been up and running.” These cameras also monitor the dockside where ferries are docked for maintenance and repair. An additional camera is trained on the gate to record the number plates of all vehicles entering the site. This camera is set up so that the vehicle is 50 percent of screen height and the footage can then be reviewed and registration numbers handed over to the Police if an incident occurs.
Another camera is trained on the ticket office window in Gosport and on the ticket machines in Portsmouth. Vandal resistant wedge housings were required as the cameras are positioned at a relatively low height to ensure the best view of each person's face as they walk through the barriers. Finally, a dome has been placed inside the cash office to monitor cash counting and any movement around the safe.
Paxton Access readers have been installed at the ticket and cash offices and are linked to the on-site PC. Because of the planned expansion and continuing development of the site, a network to link up the CCTV and Access Control systems is being considered.
Running the cabling through the boats also needed a special solution. When the ignitions are started, a spike is sent through the electrics, which needs to be filtered out. To solve this, the cables were correctly housed and shielded and the routes carefully separated from other high voltage cables. Also, the cameras had to be installed in such a way that the vibration of the boats didn't cause picture distortion. The Vista vandal resistant domes coped with the changing levels of vibration on the ferries, and the changing power provisions.
Ever unpredictable in the UK, weather conditions added an element of their own to the installation. There are a number of health and safety issues that need to be taken into consideration when working on pontoons that are moving with the waves and being lashed with rain. Climbing gear and life jackets were essential for the safety of the team.
Gardner Security doesn't just carry out the installations, they offer a value-added service that builds unique relationships with their clients and provides an ongoing managed solution to the customers' ever-changing needs. Because of these services, Gardner Security has become an indispensable part of the Gosport Ferry team.