Guildford’s Safety and Terror Barriers To Be Improved and CCTV Cameras Replaced

Published on: 8 Jul, 2019
Updated on: 8 Jul, 2019

The current High Street barrier

By Rebecca Curley

local democracy reporter

Safety barriers in Guildford town centre to prevent vandalism and vehicle-based terror attacks are “not fit for purpose”.

Borough councillors were told a change in safety legislation means the High Street barriers must be improved.

A review by Surrey Police found the white barriers and vehicle-control measures at the bottom of the High Street are “inadequate” and “do not comply with current national standards for such public spaces”. They must be upgraded to be “less intrusive” and “fit for purpose”.

Council papers state barriers must meet national standards, tested with a 7.5-tonne vehicle travelling at 40mph.

Low-key physical barriers are proposed with more CCTV to support the safety of shoppers.

Council project manager Paul Bassi, who is working on the £1.2 million works to the town centre that include upgrading pavements in Swan Lane and creating a more pedestrianised area in Chapel Street, updated councillors at Guildford and Surrey County Council’s joint committee meeting on Wednesday (July 3).

The public realm scheme is pedestrianising the town centre by upgrading the safety network, the committee was told.

Committee Cllr Mark Brett-Warburton, Conservative county council member for Guildford South East, had asked for an update on anti-terror measures for Guildford.

In council papers earlier this year the financial case for new CCTV cameras for the town centre was estimated to be £250,000. This would mean 44 cameras being replaced.

The funding bid for the installation of specialist barriers and bollards to prevent unauthorised vehicle access and improve public safety, particularly during big public events, was priced at £260,000.

The timeline shows the new barriers are to be in place by September. Tourism figures for 2017 show about 4.8 million people made day visits to the borough.