Better lighting, more CCTV cameras and enhanced security measures are just some of the thing’s Ealing Council has been investing in to make the borough’s streets safer for everyone.
The council has invested £13million to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB), burglary, violent crime and violence against women and girls (VAWG), since 2022.
What you told us
The council’s 2024 residents’ survey highlighted that the proportion of people feeling safe after dark (60%) is lower than those who feel safe during the day (95%). Only 12% said they feel very safe after dark and 21% said they feel unsafe. The number of female residents feeling safe after dark is notably lower. And, in 2023, more than 2,800 local women and girls took part in the Safer Ealing for Women listening exercise. They shared their views on safety in the borough, including what would help them feel safer after dark and 93% said that better lighting would help them feel safer when out in the evenings.
What action has been taken?
Since then, the council has invested almost £2million in brighter and more reliable lighting. So far, 3,100 streetlights have been upgraded to LED. The council has also increased the brightness of lighting on all residential roads. These upgrades are designed to make residents feel safer when walking in the borough at night.
There’s now a Safer Ealing website too, where residents can find advice and the latest updates from support services.
Using CCTV to prevent crime
CCTV continues to play a vital role in keeping the borough safe. In the last year, 47 new cameras have been added to the borough’s CCTV network, and 24 cameras have been upgraded to high definition. This brings the total number of cameras in the borough to 736.
The council’s CCTV staff have received specialist Project Vigilant training from the Metropolitan Police. Project Vigilant is a policing initiative that focuses on identifying predatory behaviour, including behaviour linked to violence against women and girls. The training helps staff spot concerning behaviour early. In several cases, quick action by the CCTV team has prevented incidents from escalating.
Crime rates lower than the London average
The borough continues to perform well compared with the rest of London. The rate of personal robbery and violence with injury was 8.75 incidents per 1,000 people in 2024/25. The London average for the same period was 10.28.
