Work on permanent city centre protection measures to start

Permanent safety measures to protect everyone in the city centre will begin to be installed after Easter.

The work will begin in late April with the first sliding and fixed bollards being installed in High Petergate and Lendal, and the other permanent barriers following from May onwards. While doing everything to maintain access for everyone in the city centre, there will need to be occasional diversions. Residents and businesses will be kept updated on work which will affect them, and the work is planned to be finished ahead of the busy Christmas market.

Once installed, these bollards will allow mobility scooters, wheelchairs and pedestrians through, as well as deliveries by foot and hand cart, and vehicles will be allowed outside footstreet hours. Similar measures have been installed by cities including Bath, Leeds, Chester and Sheffield to combat the threat of ‘vehicle as weapon attacks’, like those seen in Toronto, London and Nice. 

Detective Superintendent Dan Patrick, Regional Head of Protect and Prepare at Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: “These physical security measures are a vital, precautionary step to protect people visiting, living and working in the city.

“Unfortunately, the threat from terrorism remains very real, and recent incidents demonstrate that attacks can happen anywhere, and without warning. Areas of high footfall remain a potential target and this includes city centres, entertainment venues and attractions across the UK. York is not exempt from this threat, and it is essential that we take all necessary precautions to protect the public and make the city a less attractive target for terrorists.

We continue to work closely with the Regional Protect and Prepare Group to review and develop our readiness for terrorist attacks. This includes advising publicly accessible locations and local businesses in support of the Protect Duty, and exercising our multi-agency response to spontaneous incidents.

Alongside our police and local authority partners we are committed to ensuring our plans and security measures are as effective as they can be in mitigating the threat, preparing for incidents and keeping the public safe.”

Inspector Andrew Godfrey from the York Inner Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “It will always be our absolute priority to work with local partners to keep our city safe, so we welcome the introduction of any security measures that will help us to do that. 

“The national threat level remains substantial which means ​an attack is likely. This combined with the shift in methods from complex, coordinated attacks that we’ve seen around the world, to more basic attacks in the UK using hire cars and knives, means that we must do all that we can to protect York from such attacks.

“You can play a role too. If you're suspicious of something that could identify a terrorist threat, report it using our quick and confidential online tool to report possible terrorist activity on our website, or call the Anti-Terrorism Hotline on 0800 789 321.

“Of course, if you suspect an immediate danger, whether it’s suspicious behaviour, a package or a vehicle, move away and call 999 immediately. Any piece of information could be important, it's better to be safe and report your information – it could save a life.”

Cllr Andy D’Agorne, Executive Member for Transport, said: “Counter Terrorism Police have confirmed that hostile vehicle measures in York are evidence-based and proportionate to the current threat level. They have advised the council that not having these proactive measures would be “an unacceptable risk”.

“We continue to consult and listen to residents and businesses to address current and planned measures which encompass equalities, security planning, licensing and heritage requirements. We will keep the barriers’ operation under review. Businesses and residents directly affected by the works will be notified and kept informed as work progresses.”

Cllr Ashley Mason, Executive Member for Economic Development, said:“Our priority and duty is to protect all those who live, visit and work in the city centre. Like other busy city centres, such as Chester and Newcastle, we are installing these recommended protective barriers. They form part of a raft of measures which include emergency exercises and ongoing training with partners to address the threat of terrorism, and to safeguard residents, visitors and businesses.”