The $50,000 trial starts this week and will run for six to nine months. Photo: 123RF
Wellington City Council has created 24/7 intercom service in the city's CBD to improve safety.
The $50,000 trial, called 'Safety Points', starts this week and will run for six to nine months.
It would see intercoms with large red buttons installed in three areas of the central city - Cuba Street, Courtenay Place and Dixon Street.
Members of the public feeling unsafe can push the intercom buttons and talk to someone immediately, with access to the service running at all times of the day.
People would be able to receive immediate guidance from the operator and co-ordinate help if needed.
The safety points have been put in places in the sight of the existing CCTV network, so operators could monitor the person until they felt safe.
Throughout the course of the trial data would be collected on how they were used, and the process behind them tested.
City safety senior responsible officer Sehai Orgad said the safety points were part of a broader shift in how Wellington City Council was approaching public safety.
"We've heard the concerns about feeling unsafe at night, and the Safety Points are a practical step we're taking to respond - visible, simple, and easy to use," Orgad said.
"They're strategically located, and linked into our CCTV network so we can monitor what's happening and connect people to help when it's needed."
Orgad said it was a new idea and that the council would learn as it developed the safety tool.
"The Safety Points won't solve everything, but they are part of a more visible, co-ordinated, and people-focused safety presence in the city."
The $50,000 cost of the trial included installation, integration into the council's CCTV network, and 24/7 operator support.
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