Beijing has installed video cameras at 25 bus depots and is planning to install them on all buses that ply the Chang'an Avenue route within the year.

Wang Zheng, manager of the business development department of EcGuard Co Ltd, said more than 1,400 buses will be installed with the cameras to ensure the safety of passengers.

The company is responsible for manufacturing and installing the cameras.

The new cameras, unlike those already in use on some buses, transmit instant images to a public security command center, Wang said.

During an emergency, the driver presses a button near the steering wheel to alert the command center where the the bus is and the driver's information is recorded.

"These new cameras can effectively protect passengers and the vehicle itself from harm," Wang said.

Each bus will be fitted with four cameras.

An office worker, Zhang Xin, said: "I will feel more secure in such buses, as the cameras will deter thieves."

Zhao Jingjing, a student of Renmin University of China, said: "I hope it stops the groping that occurs on some crowed buses. People will be more aware of their behavior."

However, not all are in favor of the cameras.

Liu Yi, 27, a worker at the China Science and Technology Museum, said: "The cameras will make me feel uncomfortable. It will give me a feeling of being watched all the time.

"What's more, if a thief really wants to steal, he will not be afraid of the cameras."

(China Daily August 27, 2008)