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][6] 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][7] In 2017, Police Scotland deployed the asset in Edinburgh ahead of the Fringe festival.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Who, What, Why: What exactly is the UK's National Barrier Asset?". BBC News. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ "'Ring of steel': NATO summit turns Welsh cities into massive open-air prisons". RT: TV-Novosti. 28 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "Nato Summit 2014: Hundreds of protesters reach steel barriers protecting world leaders at Celtic Manor". Wales Online. 4 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Nato summit: Road closures details in Newport and Cardiff". BBC News Online. 7 August 2014.
  6. ↑ "Nato summit security barriers being cleared in Cardiff". BBC News Online. 6 September 2014.
  7. ↑ Rigby, Elizabeth (28 June 2015). "Britain to erect high-security fence at Calais lorry terminal". Financial Times. Retrieved 30 June 2015. (Subscription required (help)).
  8. ↑ "Anti-terror barriers installed ahead of Edinburgh Festival". Retrieved 2018-04-25.
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