THE three key stakeholders for the installation of CCTV cameras in and around Ringwood railway station are at odds with each other.
VicRoads, energy provider SP AusNet and Maroondah Council have all provided varying answers as to why the cameras are yet to be installed.
Last week, the Weekly reported that the long-promised cameras at Ringwood railway station and the Ringwood Activities Area would not be fitted until at least June this year, almost a year later than planned.
Initially, the council said the delays were because of new requirements for the testing and approval of CCTV cameras — something local energy provider SP AusNet said was not true.
Rather, SP AusNet said the delay was because most of the street lighting poles in the area were VicRoads-owned and harder to supply power to.
"We are trying to find the appropriate technical solution to supplying power to the poles to run the CCTV cameras," an SP AusNet spokesman said. "From there, VicRoads, as the asset owner, needs to approve the installation of CCTV devices on their assets."
A VicRoads spokeswoman said its role in the installation was minimal. "The street lighting poles that will be used to house the CCTV cameras around Ringwood station are managed and maintained by SP Ausnet," she said. "The council doesn't require VicRoads' approval to attach CCTV cameras to SP Ausnet assets."
In a statement yesterday, Maroondah chief executive officer Frank Dixon said the council had made a detailed submission to SP AusNet for an unmetered supply of power and installation of the cameras.
The energy provider asked for more information before the application could go through.
"Council was in the process of meeting these requirements when information was gained that suggested that SP AusNet had changed its policy with regards to CCTV camera installation," Mr Dixon said. He said it was only last November that the council achieved in-principle agreement from SP AusNet to install the cameras.
Deakin MP Mike Symon, whose government committed $200,000 to the project in 2011, said it was disappointing the cameras had not been installed. "I'd much rather see them sooner than later," he said. "[At] Ringwood station it's fine during the day, but when darkness sets in it's a different place. Every day that goes by people are not benefiting from having the cameras there."