National Barrier Asset
The National Barrier Asset is a modular fence system established in 2004 by the British government to provide UK police forces with a capability to deploy temporary specialist protective security barriers to protect high profile locations or temporary events, such as political party conferences, from vehicle borne suicide attacks.[1]
The fence is about 9 feet (2.7 m) high. It is designed to meet the British government's PAS 68 specifications and therefore is able to withstand an impact from a 7.5-tonne vehicle travelling at 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). It is managed and stored in an undisclosed location on behalf of the Home Office by Sussex Police, and is capable of being deployed in central London within three to four hours.[1]
In 2008 the size of the National Barrier Asset was tripled to meet expected demands.[2] It came to prominence for the 2014 NATO Summit, when it was erected around the Celtic Manor in Newport and in parts of Cardiff.[3][4][5] In June 2015 it was announced that around 2 miles (4 kilometres) of the asset would be sent to Calais to help prevent illegal immigration to the United Kingdom.[1][6] In 2017, Police Scotland deployed the asset in Edinburgh ahead of the Fringe festival.[7] The assets have also been deployed regularly in various UK cities as a protective measure at European style Christmas markets, and was deployed in Liverpool to protect publicly accessible locations during the city's hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest[8]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Who, What, Why: What exactly is the UK's National Barrier Asset?". BBC News. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- ^ Home Office (March 2009). The United Kingdom's Strategy for Countering International Terrorism (PDF). London: The Stationery Office. p. 107. ISBN 9780101754729. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- ^ "Nato Summit 2014: Hundreds of protesters reach steel barriers protecting world leaders at Celtic Manor". Wales Online. 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Nato summit: Road closures details in Newport and Cardiff". BBC News Online. 7 August 2014.
- ^ "Nato summit security barriers being cleared in Cardiff". BBC News Online. 6 September 2014.
- ^ Rigby, Elizabeth (28 June 2015). "Britain to erect high-security fence at Calais lorry terminal". Financial Times. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- ^ "Anti-terror barriers installed ahead of Edinburgh Festival". Retrieved 2018-04-25.
- ^ "National Vehicle Threat Mitigation Unit - Eurovision song contest". Retrieved 10 May 2023.