A six-month trial of live facial recognition technology at major London railway stations has ended without a single arrest resulting directly from the system, despite more than half a million faces being scanned.
The British Transport Police trial, conducted between February and July, involved 18 deployments at some of the capital’s busiest transport hubs. The operation cost about £320,786 in equipment and police staffing.
The technology generated only one alert against its watchlist during the trial, but the identification proved to be a false positive. Police nevertheless made several arrests during deployment periods for offences including assault, theft and possession of an offensive weapon, although none resulted directly from a facial-recognition alert.
The trial has now been extended until November and expanded to selected London Underground stations. Police say the technology is intended to help identify people wanted for serious offences or those suspected of breaching court orders.
The results have intensified debate over the effectiveness, cost and privacy implications of live facial recognition in public spaces. Civil liberties campaigners have called for stronger safeguards and a clearer legal framework before wider deployment.
Police maintain that the technology is being used selectively, with controlled watchlists and safeguards governing how facial data is handled.
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