A Safe Future

As we begin the new year it is certainly not news that the UK faces a continued and significant threat from international terrorism. There have of course been well published attacks against protected sights across the globe however crowded places remain an easy target. Accessible and readily available crowded street scenes remain an attractive prospect for serious disruption to society and loss of life.

Last year the government set out a proposal, a new Protect Duty, that it is to be a legal requirement for public places to ensure preparedness for future terrorist attacks. The commitment is to improve the safety and security of public spaces and venues. These proposals have been ignited by victims’ groups such as the Martyn’s law campaign established by Figen Murray, whose son tragically died in the Manchester arena attack that took place in 2017.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

I have heard first hand from those who have sadly lost loved ones in horrific terror attacks, and thank them for their tireless work to ensure others do not share their tragedy.

This Government has already taken significant steps to amend our powers and strengthen the tools for dealing with the developing terrorist threats we face, and we will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security.

That is why we want all organisations responsible for public venues and spaces to put public safety and security first.

It is imperative that both the Government and businesses work together to ensure the safety and confidence of the public when visiting accessible spaces, shopping centres and venues.

Crowded places include shopping centres, sports stadia, bars, pubs and restaurants. When considering appropriate protection against terrorist attacks, city planners and designers need to apply urban design principles that have been tried and tested alongside new technologies and design. It is important to avoid allowing our townscapes to become standardised and fortified, we must retain all the features that allow our communal spaces to be attractive. We need our cityscapes to be safe and secured as well as tailored to local people and the special features of their areas. Each area may need to feature invisibly integrated components, such as bus shelters, lamps, planters, cycle stands and benches, alongside some purpose designed public art or sculptural pieces. The physical measures necessary to prevent Hostile Vehicle Mitigation HVM should not really diminish the look and feel of an open area, it must still be welcoming and attractive if our towns are to survive.

Good urban design is essential, it creates a place of inclusivity that people want to use, well designed spaces have both character and identity, they have clear access for the public, ease of movement is of course important alongside a clear distinctiveness that can adapt to life.

Planning and planting can create such spaces, both making our concrete areas safer and healthier. A city with well-planned and well-managed infrastructure becomes instantly more resilient and in turn so do we.

Communal spaces are vital for everyone, we all feel the benefit. They should be easily accessible, and allow us to meet within our communities in a safe environment. A beautifully designed landscape combined with clever street furniture design offers not only a great use of space but creates the opportunity to add a safety layer often missing in traditional city design. Knowing we are safe can improve morale and productivity of city workers through psychological benefits.

Bailey Furniture Group have designed INSPIRA PROTECT a modular planting system featuring a reinforced structure designed particularly for Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) offering both security & protection to pedestrians and infrastructure without compromising on the aesthetic value of our spaces. Each reinforced structure is IWA 14-1:2013 rated and provides a reinforced housing to obstruct hostile vehicle attacks. The planters start at W:1000 x L:1500 x H:450mm but can be scaled up where required, the range enables a modular design and can complement the Inspira range. Each module is available in a range of finishes and has minimal maintenance.

Inspira is a modular planting system that features a reinforced structure that can stop a 2.5 tonne vehicle travelling at 30mph, it is a discreet public safety measure that provides both planting benefits with a reinforced safety structure. The modular system can provide many crucial features and traffic calming. They can be used to expand our pedestrian areas and also border parks and open spaces in an attractive and effective way.

Bailey Street Furniture Group offers a combination of innovative design, clever solutions and smart technologies for all our urban needs. Bailey Street Furniture Group believes that investing in well designed sustainable urban spaces is vitally important, our immediate surroundings and environment benefit our quality of life and promote a safer future that we all so depend upon.

Using world class design teams and utilising environmentally sustainable materials in conjunction with leading edge technology, our group creates inspiring integrated safety structures with our future needs in mind.

AMV Playgrounds is part of the Bailey Street Furniture Group, a privately owned collection of individual companies serving the construction sector, providing a wide range of street furniture, playground elements and associated services to the public realm, commercial and educational schemes throughout the UK. Find out more by visiting the BSFG Website.