A British-engineered, security barrier has been upgraded. The Surface Guard, developed by the road blocker, bollard and vehicle barrier manufacturer ATG Access, has been impact tested (pictured) to stop a 7,200kg lorry travelling at 32 kph with less than five meters of penetration.
Supplied in individual units, the surface mounted barriers can be deployed and removed the makers say quickly and easily with no surface fixings, suitable the firm says for use at outdoor events.
ATG unveiled the first barrier in the range in August 2017. That was developed to withstand the impact of a 2,500kg vehicle travelling at 48 kph and designed to allow pedestrian, wheelchair, cyclist and pram permeabiltity.
Now the company has developed a vehicle access point for the system so that emergency vehicles can pass through the barrier if an incident did occur and authorised vehicles needed to gain access through the barrier. Manually operated, the new vehicle access point features reinforced steel plates so that the barrier can cope with the axle loadings of a fire engine or ambulance. And the surface plates are painted in a visible colour so that vehicles can spot the access route, saving response time.
Gavin Hepburn, director at ATG Access, said: “With the increasing number of terror attacks stealing innocent lives across the world, improving security in and around public areas and event sites is of vital importance. Given the vast array of vehicles that have been used as weapons so far – from regular cars to heavy goods vehicles – we wanted to make sure that our innovative Surface Guard system could withstand the impact from lorry attacks as well as car attacks. The product is the first and only product of its kind available on the market that can be pedestrian permeable and also provide an emergency vehicle access point.
“But of course, while security and preventing future attacks is our highest priority, our products must also avoid creating a fortress mentality. The last thing people want to see in and around towns and cities is huge, unsightly barriers, which are only likely to cause unease and disruption. Therefore, our system has been designed to be asthetically pleasing and complement its surroundings, while allowing pedestrians to flow freely into the designated area. The new, improved Surface Guard system is a good example of us continuously developing our products and listening to customer feedback.”
The Surface Guard has been deployed at numerous events, including the official reopening of Motcomb Street in London, the Lord Mayor’s show in London and English Premier League football stadiums. Surface Guard units have also been dispatched to the US, after the vehicle attack in New York.
