A CRACKDOWN on crime resulted in a 12 per cent reduction in reported incidents in St Helens town centre, it's been revealed.

Council leader Dave Watts told a meeting of business people at St Helens College that a new closed circuit television system was one of the most successful on record.

"It is essential that people who visit St Helens town centre and its car parks should feel at ease and safe in the knowledge that their vehicles will be protected and that they can shop in a relatively crime-free zone," said Councillor Watts.

As well as a bank of cameras linked into a central control unit monitoring major shops and car parks, other initiatives either in place or being considered include a radio link between retailers, the computer control room and the police, new alcohol-free zones and the extension of the successful pub watch scheme.

Others include the licensing of club door staff and the extension of the vital 'gold award' car park scheme as well as improving car park signing, venues and tourist attractions and the development of car-free travel zones.

The work is being done under the Safer Communities Strategy - a partnership between the council, Merseyside Police and voluntary organisations.

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