Cameras to monitor vehicle movements
The Ajuntament de Figueres (city council) has begun installing 30 automated licence plate recognition cameras at 14 strategic access points around the city, with the work expected to be completed by November 2026. The project, costing €400,670.80, is designed to track which vehicles enter and exit Figueres and to identify those sought by police or linked to criminal activity. The cameras will be located at key road entrances including Vilatenim, the C-260 towards Roses, the N-260 to Llançà and Portbou, the GIP-5106 to Llers, the N-260 towards Olot, and sections of the N-IIa heading south to Vilamalla and north to La Jonquera.
Part of wider urban surveillance plan
This phase follows the summer installation of 10 360-degree surveillance cameras in the city centre, funded partly by €146,136.48 in Next Generation EU funds and the remainder from municipal budgets. Those cameras were deployed for public safety and tourist flow monitoring. The new system forms a third security ring and will feed into an expanded data processing and image monitoring centre at the Guàrdia Urbana (municipal police) headquarters, which is being upgraded to handle the increased capacity.
These devices will allow us to know which vehicles enter and leave Figueres and detect if any are wanted by police or linked to a crime,
said Mayor Jordi Masquef. He added that the tools would give police faster response capabilities and strengthen coordination with other law enforcement agencies. The project has been awarded to the company Tecnologias Viales Aplicadas (TEVA). According to the council, the aim is to enhance public safety through a deterrent effect and improve crime prevention and investigation.
Residents and drivers to see changes
The cameras will help detect stolen vehicles, those involved in offences, or lacking valid insurance. While the system is intended for law enforcement use only, drivers passing through Figueres should expect increased monitoring at major access routes. The council plans to expand its camera network further in the near future, continuing its broader urban surveillance strategy.
Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Ajuntament de Barcelona. Reported by revistabaixemporda.cat, gerio.cat, revistacrae.cat, lindependant.fr, figueresaldia.com, laciutat.cat, Revista del Baix Empordà.
