Anti-terrorism gates installed in Solihull town centre

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Anti-terrorism gates installed in Solihull town centre

Postby dutchman » Thu May 02, 2019 3:19 pm

In addition, bollards have been erected either side of the defences

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New anti-terrorism defences were installed in Solihull town centre as part of a programme of work completed in the last 12 months.

A recent breakdown of the council's transport and highways budget for 2018/19 revealed that the department had spent £136,000 improving security in the borough's main shopping area.

The press office confirmed that heavy-duty gates had been installed at either end of the High Street, at both the Poplar Road and Drury Lane entrances.

In addition, bollards have been erected either side of the defences.

Work was carried out in 2018 and the barriers went operational on October 8.

The measures are designed to prevent vehicles driving through the area, following a number of atrocities in which terrorists have mounted pavements or driven through pedestrianised areas - causing a string of deaths and casualties.

In March 2017, four people were killed and almost 50 injured when a car was driven into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge.

In June that year there was another atrocity involving terrorists, who drove a van through crowds on nearby London Bridge.

And in a separate incident the same month a vehicle was driven into people near the capital's Finsbury Park Mosque, causing one death and a string of injuries.

Councils around the country have taken steps to make public areas more secure.

Locally terrorism is among the issues that falls within the remit of the Safer Solihull Partnership - an umbrella organisation which includes the council, police and other agencies.

While terrorism was listed among the priority issues for 2018/19 - Solihull includes possible targets such as the airport and NEC complex - previous reports have sought to reassure residents that there is "no known specific threat" to the borough.

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