Introduction
A large range of high performance vehicle security barriers (VSB) are available for private sites/events concerned about vehicle attack. However, urban, rural and heritage spaces can struggle to balance the benefit of protecting the public from vehicle attack, the associated installation and maintenance costs, and potential safety implications for the public.
With Martyn’s Law now on the horizon, a pragmatic option for land, site and event owners, and local authorities, is to blend affordable street furniture products that provide vehicle impact resistance into the streetscape, whilst still providing the same level of functionality.
Working with local councils and public authorities, NPSA seek to develop, in collaboration with the industry, innovative permanent and removable street furniture that can be installed in the public realm to provide resistance to vehicle impact.
Designs should meet as many of the requirements (below) as possible to be considered for NPSA funding towards the costs of testing the vehicle impact performance of a product.
| Feature | Requirement |
|---|---|
|
Popular street furniture designs (not in order of preference) Permanent and removable designs considered Refer to NPSA’s Public Realm Design Guide – HVM for further ideas etc.
|
Bus Shelters Wayfinding totems and similar information signage Cycle Hire Docking Stations (static and removable) Seating: benches, shapes, parklets and the demarcation around outdoor seating Bins (litter, recycling, both) Planters (varying sizes) Posts (integrated for signage / Wifi / CCTV / street lighting) Traffic signal posts and sign posts Cabinets (e.g. for traffic signal infrastructure) Manual Gates (potential for removal/ decorative for heritage locations) |
|
Size / dimensions |
Does not adversely reduce pedestrian space Not bulky and occupies a small footprint Could combine with existing street furniture already present to reduce clutter Adjustable height of product, depending on visibility need: high footfall areas, visually impaired |
|
Engineering constraints |
Structural components to provide a level of vehicle impact resistance Foundation depths to be as shallow as possible to maximise product versatility Socketed items: installed / removed for events (semi-permanent / temporary installations) Small footprint foundation/socket (allows for single product installs as well as arrays) Compliant with conservation policies None to minimal maintenance Consistent structural elements that can be clad/shrouded in many styles for different end users |
|
Visual / heritage |
Adaptability for finish, cladding, colouring, materials so it can be used in different areas Potential for colour contrast / visual banding to assist visually impaired |
|
CPOS requirements |
Section 17 Crime and Disorder Assessment Crime Reduction & Operational Security, CPOS Directorate Should not be easy to conceal objects within it Other relevant crime prevention standards where appropriate e.g. Public Cycle Parking |
|
Maintenance |
Access for servicing vehicles and staff to do inspections, cleaning, repairs etc. The structure essential for the vehicle impact resistance has to be preserved: no damage through tampering, weathering etc. |
|
Additional features |
Environmental benefits: reduced carbon footprint, using sustainable materials etc. Host technology reporting on damage to product |
Products must be affordable to enable local authorities to consider them as a pragmatic alternative to conventional VSBs. Products can be adapted to existing designs (either normal street furniture or VSBs) or completely new.
Products must be affordable to enable local authorities to consider them as a pragmatic alternative to conventional VSBs and standard street furniture.
Products can be adapted to existing designs (either normal street furniture or VSBs) or completely new.
From a security perspective, the product must be designed to:
-
Damage the impacting vehicle so it is not easy to drive; and/or
-
Prevent the vehicle progressing beyond it; and/or
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Sufficiently delay the vehicles progress.
The anticipated suitability and performance of submitted product designs will be assessed against the above requirements, resulting in the most promising being taken forward to full-scale vehicle impact testing.
The level of testing will be decided by NPSA and is dependent on its anticipated vehicle impact resistance. It is envisaged that the top level of performance will be an ISO IWA 14-1 / ISO 22343 test: a single, head-on impact with a lorry at 30 mph. Lower performance would be smaller vehicles (4x4 or car) travelling at 30 or 40 mph.
Your submission should be concise, include schematic designs / technical drawings and illustrative sketches. You must demonstrate how the proposal will meet the above requirements.
Successful products will be listed in NPSA’s Catalogue of Security Equipment.
Product designs must be submitted by email (subject line: Street Furniture Submission – Your Company Name) to [email protected]. Submissions will be assessed by NPSA and our chosen engineering consultants. Funding (for test costs only, not product development) will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. The programme runs until March 2024.
We look forward to receiving your submissions,
Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Team
NPSA: Government National Technical Authority for Protective Security