Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has become the latest site London to be covered by an entrance barrier. Winter Wonderland was launched in December 2017, hosting Christmas markets, an ice rink, fairground rides, and a Bavarian village. It re-opened its gates at the end of November 2018, and runs until January 6.
Organisers sought a temporary security measure that would protect the entrance of the park from possible vehicle attacks, while still allowing pedestrians to flow freely in and out.
As a result, the Surface Guard product, developed by ATG Access, the manufacturer of road blockers, bollards and barriers, has been installed across the park’s Speakers’ Corner entrance.
Designed in response to recent terror attacks around Europe that used vehicles as a weapon, the barrier can withstand the impact of a 7,200kg vehicle travelling at 32kph, and has been tested in accordance to the IWA 14 crash test standard. The barriers’ modular design means that it can be deployed by four men in under an hour, the makers report, minimising disruption to event operation and the surrounding area.
The installing of the product follows a trial in summer 2018, when the product was used in the same location to protect BBC Proms in the Park. Gavin Hepburn, managing director at ATG Access, said: “Following the recent vehicle-related attacks that have taken place across Europe, including at the Christmas markets in Berlin in 2016, it’s reassuring to see that event organisers are taking steps to better protect attendees.
“Our Surface Guard system was born out of the desire to provide a practical, discreet and above all reliable method of protecting public events. When it comes to pedestrian-permeable, temporary event security, no other solution can match Surface Guard’s effectiveness or ease of installation. We’re delighted that this was apparent during the system’s successful trial at this year’s Proms in the Park, and look forward to helping to ensure the safety of many of the capital’s other world-class events in future.”
Another recent deployment was outside the International Security Expo at London Olympia, where ATG Access was among the exhibitors.
Visit: www.atgaccess.com.
