It has recently been confirmed that Cambridge City Council are endorsing a scheme that would see a temporary anti-terrorism barrier in the city’s centre become a permanent protective feature, reports Varsity.
The barrier on King’s Parade – which is made up of a three-metre-wide swing gate with ballasted security barges on either side – was installed on January 16 2020 following counter-terrorism advice to the Cambridge City Council; similar counter-terrorism advice was given to UK councils in areas such as central London, Canterbury, York and Edinburgh.
The Council’s Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee considered a report proposing permanent measures on February 8 2021 and Councillors have since voted massively in favour of the request.
The Council noted in the press release: “The temporary scheme has achieved its objective of keeping the area safe through 2020.
“Although everyday life and the number of visitors has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, it has also delivered benefits to the area [and has enabled] local businesses to provide more outside seating for customers and helped people to move around freely in a traffic-free space.”