Lorry attacks now preventable with new security innovation

A new, British-engineered, security barrier system has been enhanced to protect the public from vehicle attacks, which usually use large vehicles as the weapon. The Surface Guard system, developed by ATG Access, has been upgraded and impact tested to stop a 7,200kg lorry travelling at 32 kph with less than five meters of penetration. Supplied in individual units, the barriers can be deployed and removed quickly and easily with no surface fixings. ATG unveiled the first barrier in August 2017. It was developed to withstand the impact of a 2,500kg vehicle travelling at 48 kph and designed to allow pedestrian, wheelchair, cyclist and pram permeability. Now the company has developed a vehicle access point for the system so that emergency vehicles can pass through the barrier easily if an incident occurred. 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.”