British Transport Police begin live facial recognition trial at London Bridge station
British Transport Police launched a six-month trial of live facial recognition technology at London Bridge station on February 11, 2026, comparing passenger faces against a watchlist of people wanted for serious offences. The deployment has drawn criticism from privacy advocates concerned about accuracy, racial bias, and the lack of proper oversight of biometric data storage and analysis.
What happened
British Transport Police began a six-month trial of live facial recognition technology at London Bridge station on February 11, 2026. The LFR cameras scan passenger faces and compare them to a watchlist of people wanted for serious criminal offences, with any potential match reviewed by an officer before further checks are made.
BTP stated that alternative routes would be available for those who did not want to enter the recognition zone, and that images of people not on the authorised database would be deleted immediately. The force said dates and locations of all LFR deployments would be published online in advance.
Reported impact
Campaign group Big Brother Watch described the technology as 'authoritarian' with 'life-changing consequences when it makes mistakes'. Tony Kounnis, chief executive of Face Int UK and Europe, warned that without proper oversight around the technology's efficacy and how people's biometric data is analysed and stored, 'we'll be sleepwalking into a potential crisis.'
Index analysis
Privacy advocates and campaigners have raised concerns about accuracy and racial bias in facial recognition technology. The increased use of LFR by British law enforcement has spurred criticism regarding the lack of proper oversight of biometric data storage and analysis.
Governance controls
BTP said it would seek feedback on the trial via QR codes displayed on posters. The project team worked with partners including Network Rail, the Department for Transport, and the Rail Delivery Group.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.