The City of London wired for sound

The City of London and the City of London Police held a joint launch today for a new public warning system in London’s financial district, the Square Mile, as the City of London is known.

The system consists of loudspeakers that can be heard clearly 150 metres away fixed to existing mounted poles for CCTV cameras operated by the City of London Police. The force was obliged to install them under the 2004 Civil Contingencies Act to warn and inform the public of any major incident or emergency such as a terrorist attack.

The City of London and Canary Wharf are the two most security conscious and watched parts of London with extensive cameras and number plate recognition systems for that can identify one in three or four seconds. Still both areas would be prize targets for any group like al-Qaeda, as they where for the IRA in the 80s and 90s. I imagine they’ll have to do regular tests, so if you’re around the City don’t be too surprised to get an earful one day.