Armidale Regional Council will replace four video cameras in Beardy Street, including the mall, and a fifth camera at the intersection of Dangar Street and Moree Street, which will improve the clarity of video footage and reduce the time it takes to retrieve and act on footage.

Council received $450,000 in funding through Round 3 of the Federal Government's Safer Communities Fund to upgrade the five cameras as well as install and commission solar lights on the cycleway within the Armidale CBD precinct.

"It will greatly improve the capacity to identify people in the footage, particularly at times of low light," Council's CEO Susan Law said.

"The move to a full digital system also means that when an incident occurs, footage can be downloaded much, much quicker.

"Footage that would have taken an hour with the analogue system can be downloaded in a matter of minutes using digital technology.

"That will make the CCTV network a much more effective and time-efficient tool in keeping streets safe."

The $45,000 project is replacing analogue cameras that have been in place since the Armidale central business district's CCTV system was first installed in 2005 as a City Safe Area.

They will be replaced by contractor TriTech Security and will bring the five cameras in line with four other digital cameras that had been added to the CBD's CCTV network.

While the five replacement cameras have been installed within the existing poles, their upgrade has been complemented by last month's upgrade to a new fibre optic cable linking the cameras to Council's Armidale Civic Administration Building.