Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras privacy statement

Waka Kotahi maintains a closed-circuit television (CCTV) network across its state highways from which it collects footage. This may record images or videos of you or your vehicle captured by cameras on or near our roads.

Waka Kotahi also maintains a CCTV network within premises and places where its staff legitimately conduct Waka Kotahi business, such as at its corporate offices.

Why we use CCTV cameras on the road network

For the purposes of managing operational land transport services, improving services and/or the network (including the provision of low-resolution real-time footage), and providing New Zealanders with a safer land transport system. Examples may include identifying and managing events related to:

  • road emergencies and motor vehicle crashes
  • dangerous behaviour
  • destructive behaviour such as vandalism
  • the functionality of our assets
  • the correct use of transit lanes.

We also use CCTV footage to:

  • provide road users with updates on travel times and traffic flow
  • provide real data to help us improve the transport network.

Why we use CCTV cameras within our premises

It is vital to Waka Kotahi that we ensure the safety and security of our staff, and also that of our clients, which includes partners, agents, service providers, and members of the public visiting Waka Kotahi premises.  It is also important to ensure our property, equipment, material and information are prevented from damage and theft in any way.

We will use our CCTV cameras to help detect or capture evidence of a security risk or breach, and to facilitate a timely response to emergency situations and timely investigations.  The purpose of our video surveillance systems is such that all of our CCTV cameras will be overt; visible CCTV cameras are also effective in deterring potential offenders from perpetrating planned criminal activity.  We may also use recorded footage when conducting internal investigations relating to complaints made by staff, other tenants or visitors to our offices.

Waka Kotahi views that a video surveillance system is an effective means to ensure the safety and security of anyone visiting our buildings with minimal imposition on them.

The footage

The footage depends on where the camera is located, but we only place them where they can help us achieve our purposes.

Outside of our premises on the road network, the cameras are not designed for, or placed to identify individual vehicles or people, but they will usually capture road-network users, which may show your vehicle or pedestrians.

Inside our premises, the cameras are placed to monitor the common (publicly accessible) areas for security and safety reasons.  The systems may from time to time record footage of staff, clients and visiting members of the public (including family and friends) as they pass through the areas covered by the video surveillance system.

Who we share the footage with

We only share footage when it is required to achieve the purposes listed above, or as required by law, including:

  • NZ Police, to assist with law enforcement
  • emergency services, to assist with responses to incidents
  • Transport Operations Centre partners and delegates to assist with public safety and effective management of the transport network
  • some media outlets, including our social media channels
  • members of the public as permitted under the Official Information Act 1982
  • some footage is publicly available on our Journey Planner website.

Transport Operations Centre

Journey Planner – Traffic cameras(external link)

How long is the footage kept? 

We only keep footage for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes outlined, and in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. For CCTV outside of our premises, usually footage is only held for 3-7 days depending on the system and location.  For CCTV within our premises, recorded footage is retained for no longer than 31 days before being permanently deleted/overwritten in a continuous cycle, subject to any access requests for particular footage.

Recording audio 

We do not record audio with CCTV cameras.

How we keep your information secure

We store your information on dedicated secure servers. To read more about how we keep your information secure click on the link below. 

General privacy statement

How to ask about your information

You can ask questions, request access to, and correction of, your information. Please refer to the 'Requesting access to or correction of your information' section for more information.

Requesting access to or correction of your information

If you have a complaint about how we handled your personal information, please refer to the 'Privacy complaints' section.

Privacy complaints