First Tells Terror Police: Pay Us £125,000

Charlotte Leslie, Conservative Prospective MP for Bristol North West, has revealed that First Bus issued a bill of a massive £125,000 to Avon and Somerset Police for CCTV footage taken from the companies buses, used to investigate the case of Andrew Ibrahim. (See this story on the BBC News web site)

Charlotte has used the Freedom of Information Act to reveal the charges made by the city’s bus company, First. First Bus justify the charges by saying that expensive camera equipment had to be removed from their buses.

Charlotte Leslie comments

“The entire purpose of CCTV footage is to aid police in their inquiries. It seems extraordinary that requiring this footage costs the bus company, Avon and Somerset Police, and ultimately the tax-payer, so much. I am finding out whether other private firms who provided footage also issued such extortionate bills. I will be surprised if they have.

Charlotte Leslie has written to the Director of First Bus, Justin Davies, to demand an explanation for the costs. Charlotte said “It is absolutely extraordinary that the police should be asked to pay this kind of fee to protect our national security. This sort of abuse of the tax payers money must be brought to light wherever it occurs, and I will be continuing to ask questions to find out more.”